Fast shrinking farm lands, acute labour shortage, decreasing income per acre of cultivation, and economic frustration are some of the key factors hurting a farmer's confidence in continuing farming.
“While maintaining a pair of bullocks is a big challenge for many in their small holdings, a tractor today seems an easy alternative initially as many banks give generous loans.
“But after the initial months of euphoria from buying a tractor, a small farmer realizes the pain of paying the monthly installments, and many are forced to sell their lands to repay the debts,” says Dr. Nitin Maurya, National Innovation Foundation, Ahmedabad.
Well received
“Whether a farmer owns one acre or ten acres, ploughing and weeding are basic operations to be done at regular intervals and in the absence of manual labour, a multi-purpose cycle weeder named Krishiraja, developed by a poor farmer, Mr. Gopal Malhari Bhise from Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, is being received well,” he says.
Being economically poor, Mr. Bhise says,“economic frustration to even buy a pair of bullocks led me to develop this device.”
Ploughing 0.8 hectare of rain fed fallow land proved a tough job for the farmer without bullocks.
“Though the land was quite fertile and we (me and my wife) toiled hard and even dug a well, by ourselves as we could not afford the payment for laborers,” says Mr. Gopal.
One day the farmer saw a grocer transporting some flour sacks on a bicycle, and this made the farmer think of using a bicycle for farming operations.
More affordable
“For a poor farmer like me a bicycle is more affordable than a pair of bullocks. After a lot of trial and error,
“I designed the implement out of the front axle, wheel and handlebar of a standard bicycle to conduct operations normally carried out by bullocks or tractors,” he explains.
Main parts
The main part of Mr. Bhise's implement is the front portion of a bicycle, namely handlebar, front axle and the wheel.
A steel fork is connected to the axle and the other end carries different kinds of attachments.
Separate attachments for weeding, tilling and harrowing are attached to the working end, using bolts and nuts.
“This helps in changing the attachments as required. Suitable slots in the device are provided for adjusting the distance between blades to suit specific requirements.
Safety provisions are incorporated so that the blade does not injure the user at the time of reversing the device during weeding operations,” explains Mr. Bhise.
“People laughed at me in the beginning, but I never gave up. Perseverance finally paid off and today my Krishiraja is received well in the local market,” says the poor farmer proudly.
With attachments
The tiller attachment enables the farmers to cultivate medium-hard soil up to a depth of about one foot.
Mr. Gopal uses the device to carry out most of the farming operations. He no more needs bullocks. So far more than 200 devices are currently being used by farmers in the region.
Priced at Rs 1,200, a person can weed 0.08 ha in one hour. It is easy to operate and suited for those who cannot afford bullocks.
More freedom
“More than 200 farmers are today using the multi-purpose cycle weeder. It gives the much needed independence to a small farmer who does not own bullocks or a tractor,” says Dr Nitin.
For details readers can contact Mr. Gopal Bhise, Shendurni,Taluka: Jamner, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, phone: 9970521044 and Dr. Nitin Maurya at email: nitinnif@gmail.com and info@nifindia.org, phone: 079-26732456 and 26732095.
