Design Thinking project for MBA/PGDM Student.

1. DESIGN THINKING PROJECT
ON
AGRICULTURE
Name: Aman Pandey (122)
Priyanka Mithbavkar (154)

2. Introduction
India is one of the major players in the agriculture sector worldwide and it is the primary
source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population. India has the world's largest cattle
herd (buffaloes), largest area planted to wheat, rice, and cotton, and is the largest producer of
milk, pulses, and spices in the world. It is the second-largest producer of fruit, vegetables,
tea, farmed fish, cotton, sugarcane, wheat, rice, cotton, and sugar. Agriculture sector in India
holds the record for second-largest agricultural land in the world generating employment for
about half of the country’s population. Thus, farmers become an integral part of the sector to
provide us with means of sustenance.
Consumer spending in India will return to growth in 2021 post the pandemic-led contraction,
expanding by as much as 6.6%. The Indian food industry is poised for huge growth, increasing
its contribution to world food trade every year due to its immense potential for value addition,
particularly within the food processing industry. The Indian food processing industry
accounts for 32% of the country’s total food market, one of the largest industries in India and
is ranked fifth in terms of production, consumption, export and expected growth.
Agriculture, with its allied sectors, is unquestionably the largest livelihood provider in India,
more so in the vast rural areas. It also contributes a significant figure to the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP). Sustainable agriculture, in terms of food security, rural employment, and
environmentally sustainable technologies such as soil conservation, sustainable natural
resource management and biodiversity protection, are essential for holistic rural
development.

3. PROBLEM IDENTIFIED Irrigation
ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
Water logging and salinity
Interstate water disputes
Increasing cost of irrigation
SOLUTIONS OFFERED Micro Irrigation
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
Rainfed Area Development
NARRATIVE THOUGHT Net irrigated area (%) of India has increased from nearly
18 to 48% in recent times due to government
interventions at various levels (Fig. 1). Although
government has given much emphasis on improving
canal system in various five-year plans but it has
declined over years.
SCOPE OF SOLUTION It has the potential to increase crop yield even with
reduced irrigation water application. Also, drip irrigation
can help to irrigate hilly terrains or texturally non-
uniform fields.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES PM Krishi Seenchai Yojana
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
Micro Irrigation
Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project
STARTUPS ON THIS
PROBLEM
CultYvate: The startup implements various concepts,
tools, and methods to irrigate crops efficiently. It
integrates IoT (Internet of Things), artificial intelligence
(AI), satellite, machine learning (ML) and various crop
models to develop the products.
KISANRAJA: The KisanRaja system is built using IoT, data
analytics, AI, ML, mobile pump controllers, wireless valve
controllers, wireless sensors, and satellite data.

4. CHANGE BY THE
SOLUTION
A continuous drip water change system uses permanent
plumbing to continuously and automatically change the
water in one or more crops.
DESIRABILITY Drip Water Irrigation will reduce the loss of water to a
great extent.
FEASIBILITY Highly Feasible
VIABILITY Long viable.
HURDLES OVERCAME
Micro-irrigation is facing challenges like energy crisis,
awareness, affordability and declining landholdings and
farm income. At the manufacturing level, the industry is
grappling with cash flow issues due to delays from
various state governments. Governments in India have to
review the current micro-irrigation strategy to avoid
chaos in India's water management. Instead, if the status
quo is persisted with, then India's micro-irrigation
strategy will falter with severe consequences not only to
the exchequer but also exacerbate the worsening water
crisis across India.
GAPS FOUND 1. Lack of Smart Board
2. Lack of literacy and ability to understand the
modern technologies.
EXISTING IDEAS 1. Check Basin Method
2. Flood Irrigation
3. Buried clay pot Irrigation
4. Drip Irrigation
ADVANCED IDEAS 1. Micro Irrigation
2. Airdrop Irrigation
3. Sprinkler Irrigation System
SOLUTION NAME Drip Water Irrigation

5.  What is the Problem?
Irrigation is the process of applying water to the crops artificially to fulfil their water
requirements. Irrigation is a major problem in the field of Agriculture.
 Main Problems in Irrigation
 Water Logging: Waterlogging is excess water in the root zone accompanied by
anaerobic conditions. The excess water inhibits gaseous exchange with the
atmosphere, and biological activity uses up available oxygen in the soil air and water.

6.  Inadequate water supply due to ground water depletion.
 Why Irrigation is a Problem in India?
 Rainfall and water availability has a huge regional imbalance in India.
 Farmers suffer from Sub- optimal utilization of created facilities.
 Competing demand for water is increasing rapidly.
 Overexploitation of surface water leading to some drainage problems.
 Solutions to Irrigation Problem in India
 Rainfed Area Development (RAD): RAD focuses on Integrated Farming System (IFS)
for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variabilities.
 Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY): The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee
Yojana (PMKSY) was launched during the year 2015-16 with the motto of ‘Har Khet Ko
Paani’ for providing end-to end solutions in irrigation supply chain, viz. water sources,
distribution network and farm level app2.lications.
 Experiment

7.  Net irrigated area (%) of India has increased from nearly 18 to 48% in recent times due
to government interventions at various levels (Fig. 1). Although government has given
much emphasis on improving canal system in various five-year plans but it has
declined over years.
 Since 1950-51, the government had given considerable importance to the development
of command area under canals. As a result, presently, India has gross irrigated area of
96.46 Mha, net irrigated area 68.38 Mha and food grain production of 275.11 million tons
in 2016-17.
 Evolve
 After launching various schemes, it is necessary to efficiently allocate roles and
responsibilities to the concerned authorities.
 Consistentefforts of allauthorities andcommunities,thehelp-giversandbeneficiaries
have to contribute equally to achieve the goal.
5-STEP ANALYSIS OF A SOLUTION

8. CASE STUDY
CASE PROBLEM
ADDRESSED
INNOVATION ASPIRED
GOAL
REMARK
Irrigation Water Logging Drip Irrigation To reduce
water loss
Ensure effective
way to irrigate
crops without
wasting a single
drop of water.
KEY COMPONENTS
INTERVENTION
POINT
UNDERLYING
AIM
EXAMPLE KEY INTERVENTION
POINTS
Drip Irrigation
requires nozzle
replacement or
closure spacing to
get greater
uniformity of
overhead system.
Save water and
nutrients by
allowing water to
drip slowly to the
roots of plants,
either from above
the soil surface or
buried below the
surface.
Bananas
Coconut
Grapes
Sugarcane
Tomatoes
1.Unable to detect exact
location of leakage.
2. Blockage of emitters.
OVERVIEW

9. PROBLEM DEFINITION Old methods of Irrigation are still being adapted by many
farmers due to which there is a huge water loss
GOAL TO BE PURSUED To minimise the water loss and irrigate effectively with
modern technologies to ensure proper growth of crops.
PRINCIPLE ACTIVITY
With drip irrigation, water is conveyed under pressure
through a pipe system to the fields, where it drips slowly
onto the soil through emitters or drippers, which are located
close to the plants. It is applicable to almost every crop
prediction, especially in arid, dry areas.
BENEFIT/BURDEN
DISTRIBUTED
 Prevents disease by minimizing water contact with
the leaves, stems, and fruit of plants.
 Saves time, money, and water because the system is
so efficient.
 Decreases labor.
 Increases effectiveness on uneven ground.
 Reduces leaching of water and nutrients below the
root zone.
TOOLS
 Drip Irrigation Hole Punchers.
 Watering Stakes.
 Hose Clamps.
 Drip Pressure Regulator.
 Drip Filters.
IMPLEMENTING
STRUCTURE
Water source; Pumps & pumping stations; Filtration; Main,
sub-main, distribution pipes and fittings; Water meters and
pressure gauges; Valves; Dosing unit; Dripper lines
(laterals); Connectors; End of dripper lines; Sensors;
Controller; Accessories and add-ons; Agro-machinery.

10. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Inventory of the resources and data collection. Computation
of peak crop water requirement. Deciding the appropriate
layout of the drip irrigation system.
NARRATIVE THOUGHT
Drip irrigation is the most efficient water and nutrient
delivery system for growing crops. It delivers water and
nutrients directly to the plant's roots zone, in the right
amounts, at the right time, so each plant gets exactly what it
needs, when it needs it, to grow optimally.
EXPLICIT JUSTIFICATIONS
Drip or trickle irrigation refers to the frequent application of
small quantities of water at low flow rates and pressures.
Rather than irrigating the entire field surface, as with
sprinklers, drip irrigation is capable of delivering water
precisely at the plant where nearly all of the water can be
used for plant growth. The uniformity of application is not
affected by wind because the water is applied at or below the
ground surface. A well designed and maintained drip
irrigation system is capable of an application efficiency of 90
percent.
INCREMENTAL CHANGES
Drip irrigation system can achieve high uniformity. When the
system is designed for uniformity coefficient equal or more
than 70%, the water application in the field can be expressed
as a normal distribution and further simplified to a linear
distribution.

11. SUCCESS MATRIX
PROJECT DESCRIPTION Irrigation
SCOPE
It has the potential to increase crop yield
even with reduced irrigation water
application. Also, drip irrigation can help to
irrigate hilly terrains or texturally non-
uniform fields.
TARGET USERS Indian Farmers
PLAN Implementig drip Irrigation and sprinkler
irrigation system.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
More efficient way to water plants and it
keeps them from getting spread forcefully
by sprinklers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. www.wikipedia.com
2. https://www.india.gov.in
3. https://www.nationalgeographic.org