On farm Technologies Innovation Challenge
Through 'On Farm Technologies Innovation Challenge’, SELCO Foundation aims to encourage development and adoption of affordable, accessible and efficient technologies that can be easily adopted by small and marginal farmers, particularly those in remote and disadvantaged areas.
India, being an agrarian economy, relies heavily on smallholder farmers who form the backbone of the agricultural sector. According to the Economic Survey 2020-21, small and marginal farmers, who account for 86% of India’s total farmer population, face significant challenges in accessing agricultural inputs, credit, and technology.
Farm mechanization in India is low, particularly for small and marginal farmers, who are unable to afford expensive machinery and equipment.
To ensure their long-term viability and enable sustainable agricultural practices, it is crucial to identify and support innovative on-farm technologies and best practices.
THE CHALLENGE
Inviting Applications in two broad Categories:
Hardware Technology
This category aims to encourage and support innovators/entrepreneurs to design or refine affordable, accessible and efficient on farm technologies. We encourage inclusive technologies in :- Land preparation
- Sowing and planting
- Weeding, intercultivation & plant protection
- Harvesting and threshing
Best practices
This category aims to recognize and promote innovative and regenerative practices used to manage land, water and labor. These practices shall have potential to be adopted or adapted by smallholder farmers in India.PRIZES
WHO CAN APPLY
Technology Innovation:
The challenge is open to individuals, start-ups, and enterprises who have innovative solutions that can address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in on-farm activities.
Innovative Best practices:
Farmers, FPOs and NGOs working in promotion of sustainable agriculture and welfare of farmers can apply through the best practices category. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the impact, scalability, and sustainability of their practices.
PARTNERS
Atal Incubation Centre-SELCO Foundation in Guwahati is a centre that enables and empowers sustainable energy based innovators and entrepreneurs to scale in the North East of India. It seeks to provide management expertise, intellectual capital, and hand holding support to enhance the capacity of potential local energy enterprises to innovate and deliver energy-based solutions to low-income communities in the North-Eastern region of the country. By building this human capacity and ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship, AIC-SELCO Foundation believes that the region can meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner that will lead to socially, financially and environmentally friendly solutions.
