1) The document proposes constructing greenhouses using a hydroponic system in urban areas to boost agricultural productivity in India. It would involve surveying cities to estimate crop demands, constructing greenhouses, and establishing a research center to coordinate nutrient solutions for different crops.
2) Skilled volunteers with expertise in plant sciences, engineering, computer systems, and marketing would be recruited. The greenhouses would be connected to a common server to share data daily. This would increase productivity on less land and establish a distribution system for below poverty line communities.
3) Advantages include producing crops on non-arable land, isolating from soil pests, allowing high densities to minimize land use, and enabling year-round production
1. Manthan Topic:
Hydroponic Green House system to increase agricultural productivity
Name Qualification Contact no.
Amar Jadhav Mechanical Engineer 9561856556
Gokul Hake Mechanical Engineer 9762590874
Gourish Hiremath Mechanical Engineer 9422036368
Pratik Jadhav Mechanical Engineer 7798535704
Rohan Janve Mechanical Engineer 8796511595
Group Members:
2. Although India ranks second in farm output , however today India’s productivity
is only 3.1 ton per hectare against the global average of 4.2 ton per hectare .
India’s global hunger
index is 22.9 in 2012
and it ranks 65th in
world.
3. Causes Effects
Land degradation Different verities of crops leading to loss of
nutrients
Industrialization and
urbanization
Shortage of land
Draught Less production
Population High demand and low supply
4. Proposed idea of constructing green building by using concept of hydroponic in
urban areas is an innovative way of boosting India’s productivity.
Survey and
construction
Survey of urban areas to estimate the product requirement with the help of
NSSO.
Construction of green buildings at location according to requirements found
out by survey.
Establishment of research center to coordinate with all the green building set
ups and to study the nutrient solution for requirement of different crops.
Recruitment of skilled volunteers with a need of high degree of competence
in plant sciences, engineering, computer control systems and marketing.
Set up to connect all the green building over the country to a common server
or by providing TABLET PC through which data will be updated daily.
Recruitment
and Set up
Increase in productivity as less land is required.
A proposed plan to set up distribution system to provide products to BPL
(Below Poverty Line).
Advantages
Snapshot of solution
5. Recruitment of skilled volunteers drawn among professionals, unemployed
graduates .(This project is proposed for an estimate of 20 cities.)
Professionals Skilled
Volunteers
Marketing experts
Skills Required •High degree of
competence in plant
science and
computer controlled
system.
•Ready to work at
relatively low salary
initially.
•Managing and
maintenance skills
•Marketing and
communication skills
Number •More than 100 •More than 1500 •More than 500
6. Steps involved in implementing hydroponic concept
Survey
According to the data obtained from the survey, the requirement
of crops and fruits are divided and then overall estimate of total
produce is calculated.
Research The composition of nutrient solution is studied and prepared.
Construction
and setup
According to the requirement the Green Building is engineered .
Harvesting
and storage
After obtaining the produce, they need to be stored and
preserved.
No transportation is required as the distribution system is to be
in the same building.
7. Advantages
This model has been prepared to supplement the current need of urban population and hence
increase the productivity reducing the transporting cost and overall cost of production.
Crops can be produced on non-arable land
Isolation from diseases or insect pests usually found in the soil.
High planting densities are possible which minimizes use of land area. For field tomatoes a
typical planting density is 4000 to 5000 plants per acre.
Greenhouse hydroponic tomatoes can be 10,000 to 11,000 plants per acre.
Higher yields are possible.
Because of higher planting densities, higher yields are also possible. Also, indeterminate
varieties, bred for the greenhouse, can produce over 6-12 months.
And since most commercial hydroponic production takes place within greenhouses (or
other CEA) production, through the use of inter planting, can occur year around.
8. Impact and Reach
This project is estimated to reach and impact 15,000 people for each green
building.
Skilled Volunteers
About 1500 skilled volunteers
About 500 marketing experts
About 100 professionals
Green Buildings
Around 60 green buildings in 20 cities with a research centre is constructed
Set-up
Engineering machinery required and IT set up will be done
Placement support
Creating employment for skilled volunteers
9. Limitations and Implementation challenges
High initial set up cost.
Land required which is to be given by the government in the urban areas
Proper maintenance and regulation of temperature and other conditions to obtain the
required yield
Social Awareness among people to make it successful
Daily assessment of conditions of crops to be monitored
Placement of the skilled volunteers will be a big challenge.
Less viability of funding this project by the government and corporate agencies
10. Initial cost Organisation
cost
Running cost Post production cost
Construction cost
Plant setup
Transportation costProfessional Expertise
Training cost
Volunteers
Mineral and Nutrients
Marketing costPlant Maintenance cost
50 lacs per
plant
5 Cr per
annum per
city
40 lacs per
annum per
city
5 lacs per
annum per
city
This cost estimation for 20 cities including Metropolitan cities. Each city may have on an
average 3 plants depending on population ,demand etc.
Total Funding
12. Appendix
References
Indian Council For Agricultural Research Websites.
Research Papers on The Concept of Hydroponics.
Human Hunger Index Reports.
Survey of agricultural Produce in India.
PDS system and NABARD website.
