Innovator: Shri Ramjibhai Chaudhary
Address: Rapar, District - Kutch, Gujarat
Innovator Profile
While Working In The Field, Ramjibhai Observed The Difficulties Faced By Farmers To Dig The Groundnut From The Soil. He Often Used To Discuss With Them About These. The Main Points That Came Out Of The Discussions Were High Labor Cost And Lack Of Availability Of Labor, Which Would Result In Huge Losses.Low Cost Groundnut Digger Is A Boon For All The Farmers Who Are In Groundnut Production Particularly Where Labour Is Problem And Climate Is Becoming Erratic. Digging Operation Done Traditionally Other Than Being Labour Intensive Is Also Cost Intensive. Low Cost Groundnut Digger Would Do The Same Operation More Effectively With No Labour Use.
It Was Sometime In 2005 That Ramjibhai Decided To Develop A Device Which Can Able To Dig Groundnut Plants From The Soil. He Developed Digger From The Secondhand Parts As A Proof Of Concept And Also Had Taken First Test At His Own Farm.After Not Satisfying With His Own Innovation, He Continued Trial And Error Method For Efficient And Easy To Use Design Of Digger According To His Experience.Around 16-17 Times, Modifications Were Carried Out In The Prototype (First Proof Of Concept) For Him To Finally Build The Efficient Tractor Operated Groundnut Digger.
This Is A Tractor Mounted PTO Powered Machine With A Propeller Shaft Suitable For Tractors Of 45 HP And Above To Dig Out And Uproot The Groundnut. Groundnuts Are Uprooted From The Soil With The Help Of The Harvesting Blade (V Shaped) Of The Machine. The Uprooted Groundnuts Are Conveyed From Ground Level To A Higher Level For Collection Using A Conveyor Chain. The Belt Keeps Vibrating As A Result Of Which The Pods Get Cleaned Of The Attached Soil. Opening The Collection Box Forms The Spread Bed Of Groundnut For Drying. In The Latter, Three To Five Persons Are Required For Pulling Out Plants, Which Have Been Dug And Additionally Other Process Such As Cleaning (Removing Soil From Plants) Has To Be Done Manually. In The Single Offset Digger, Digging Is Done Mechanically And Subsequently, The Pods Are Collected Manually. This Machine Saves Considerable Labour, Operating Time And Cost Of Operation Compared To Conventional Methods.
Salient Features of Groundnut Digger
1) The Innovation Is To Be Attached To A 45 HP Tractor Or More Than That. 2) Vibration Attachment Is Also Available To Remove The Soil Parts On To The Roots Of Groundnut.
3) The Machine Holds The Capacity To Replace The Work Done By 20 Labors. 4) Easily Attachable & Detachable, Efficient &Low Cost
GIAN is working as Nodal Institute under Start-up Gujarat scheme and supported this innovation for product development.
