IITM’s unique initiative for farmers

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) researchers, jointly with a farmers’ NGO, have developed a unique, efficient, and cost-effective agricultural transportation system that addresses labour shortage, a major issue faced by Indian farmers.This transportation system, which is a lightweight monorail type, can economically carry agri produce from fields to collection points near the farmlands, a communique from the IIT-Madras on Wednesday said.The IIT research team and Pothu Vivasayeegal Sangam, a farmers’ NGO have successfully tested this prototype cableway system at a farm in Nanjai Thottakurichi village of Karur district.Manpower shortage is one of the major issues plaguing the Indian farming system, especially during the post-harvest period when significant manpower is required to transport agri produce (such as sugarcane, banana bunches, or paddy) from the field to a nearby collection point. The problem is acute in wetland farms, as labourers find it difficult to traverse across waterlogged land with headloads.