Connect with:
Wednesday / December 4. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "Self-Help Groups (SHGs)"
Agro Universities, India, R&D, Sustainability

Decentralised biochar production technology will be an affordable and viable option for farmers and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to solve the issues around crop residues in a sustainable manner.

As global concerns over sustainable agriculture and climate change intensify, the use of biochar for soil amendment is increasingly gaining popularity because of its inherent properties that enrich the soil with nutrients and sequester carbon dioxide. These properties position biochar as a key player in agriculture’s shift towards net-zero emissions and in preventing soil degradation.

A recent study by ICRISAT scientists explores the design of an affordable, farm-level operable kiln for biochar production aimed at supporting smallholder farmers. The research paper also examines the properties of the biochar produced to better understand its applicability.

In her congratulatory remarks to the study’s authors, Director General of ICRISAT, Dr Jacqueline Hughes, underscored the significance of integrated solutions in accelerating our collective journey towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Biochar production not only solves the issue of managing crop residues, but its application in soil health, wastewater treatment and carbon farming opens up enormous opportunities to move towards a cleaner and greener future,” Dr Hughes shared.

According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, India produces over 500 million tons of agricultural residues annually, with about one fourth being burned (2017-2018). The incineration of these residues causes several health and environmental concerns. However, converting these residues into biochar presents a viable alternative, offering not just a method for managing this waste, but also the potential for additional revenue or cost savings for farmers. 

Dr ML Jat, Director, Global Research Program – Resilient Farm and Food Systems, ICRISAT emphasized the importance of adopting a decentralized approach to ensure that the process benefits the farmers.

“This low-cost, decentralized biochar production technology will be an affordable and viable option for farmers and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to solve the issues around crop residues in a sustainable manner. Moreover, this technology also aligns well with government incentives for voluntary carbon markets and environmental initiatives like the ‘Mission Life-Lifestyle for the Environment program,'” Dr Jat noted.

The characteristics of biochar significantly depend on the type of crop residue used. In this study, two types of feedstocks—pigeonpea and maize stalk—were used to draw a comparison between the ICRISAT-designed pyrolysis kiln and a lab-scale muffle furnace.

The study also examined the physical and chemical attributes of biochar derived from the two feedstocks, using high-end imaging and analytical technologies such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA).

Research reveals that biochar created in the portable kiln at 400°C exhibits a quality comparable to that produced in the muffle furnace. Further analysis shows that the biochar derived from pigeonpea and maize stalks contains total carbon percentages of 48.9 per cent and 41.9 per cent, respectively. Within these totals, the proportion of stable carbon stands at approximately 98.6 per cent for pigeonpea stalk biochar and 94.4 per cent for maize stalk biochar.

“Organic waste management methods like composting and mulching are efficient, yet thermochemical techniques, such as pyrolysis, offer distinct advantages, including quicker processing times and higher efficiency, particularly with dry residues,” Dr Gajanan Sawargaonkar, Senior Scientist, ICRISAT, and one of the study’s authors, remarked. 

Dr Sawargaonkar also highlighted that the data produced in the study will significantly contribute to the development of a holistic set of practices aimed at advancing sustainable agriculture.

Decentralised biochar production technology will be an

AgroPolicy, Company News, E-commerce, India

JioMart’s collaboration with Ministry of Rural Development will enable SHGs to be on-boarded as sellers onto the e-commerce fold on JioMart.

 Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Reliance Retail’s JioMart towards its efforts to help enhance the outreach of the products of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) thereby empowering the rural SHG artisans.

JioMart will also help set-up and support them to navigate and operate their account on the marketplace. Additionally, JioMart will jointly participate in trainings and workshops facilitated by MoRD to enable sellers to familiarize selling experience on the portal. Further to ensure sustained growth and business stability, JioMart will provide post-launch training and support to help sellers grow their business on the marketplace and will also be offered to participate in a variety of marketing promotions on the platform.

This alliance will bring SHGs under MoRD’s SARAS collection brand onto JioMart offering a range of handlooms and handicrafts products from traditional textiles to pantry, home décor and beauty products.

Speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary, Rural Livelihoods, Ministry of Rural Development Charanjit Singh said that this collaboration will enable SHGs to be on-boarded as sellers onto the e-commerce fold on JioMart and this initiative will further boost MoRD’s provision under the SARAS collection to be available to a larger consumer base. With this alliance, SHGs will get to widen their market and visibility and offer their curated products to customers of JioMart across India. As part of the partnership between MoRD and JioMart, once on-boarded, all SHG sellers associated with the DAY-NRLM will get to avail benefits and guidance in growing their businesses online.

Singh further said that this partnership between DAY-NRLM and JioMart will add to efforts of the Ministry towards income enhancement of SHG Didis. The mission is working to increase the income of SHGs on sustainable basis and this step will add to our initiatives towards it.

Complementing the stakeholders, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development Swati Sharma said that the Ministry is committed to support enhancement in livelihood opportunities of SHGs and the partnership with JioMart will help in this direction.

Director, Rural Livelihoods, Ministry of Rural Development Raghvendra Pratap Singh gave an overview of the MoU’s key objectives and said that the SHGs strength is recognised and acknowledged by the nation today and such partnership will further strengthen the various marketing initiative like SARAS too.

Commenting on the association, President and Chief of Public Policy and Regulatory, Reliance Retail Limited, Dr Ravi Prakash Gandhi said that Partnering with MoRD is our first step to many more such fruitful associations in the future. We firmly believe and embrace the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and this partnership helps us align and further strengthens our commitment. We aim to transform the digital retail ecosystem in the country and through this collaboration we want to empower growth and also facilitate digitization of millions of SHGs.  I am sure this initiative will play a pivotal role in transforming lives and strengthen the livelihoods of local artisans and small businesses in India.

JioMart’s collaboration with Ministry of Rural Development