Course on Innovative Ideas and Common Sense (IICS, 1+1)

You visit any industries and see the equipment, gadgets that are used in the production process. They are all innovative products that are developed by industrial research; some are modified by the end used on a trial and error basis. Of course they are developed by an engineer, a biologist or a scientist but from the industry. In order to make our students to play a significant role in any production system, they must be oriented to think “Out of box” and allowed to come out with their own ideas to tackle issues that they see in any process. In Agriculture universities, in 8^th semester, students go for Hands on Training. During this period, there must be a course on “Innovative Ideas and Common Sense”. Whenever they visit field, they must identify the gaps which are affecting the process and/or collect the opinion of people who work there and find out what is that they are finding it difficult in doing their work.

            Then, assign the issues with a time frame to a group of people and collect all ideas. Whoever comes out with tangible idea must be examined and approved by competent authority. Then it can be up-scaled in collaboration with required industry.

When I was heading Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dakshina Kannada, I saw people wrapping the papaya with news paper; but apples with foam wrap. 

I and a progressive farmer Mr Balakrihna Sharma discussed and tried to copy the same thing for papaya. By sending the average length and girth of papaya, we brought the foam wrap from Rajkot, India and started packing papaya in foam. Before packing in foam, the farm gate value of papaya was Rs. 12-16/kg. After wrapping with foam, it went up to Rs. 32/kg. With a marginal invest of Re. 0.90, the incremental income was highly significant.

Many of such ideas are given in this blog, just give you some clue. Expand your horizon, look deeply, identify the gaps and come out with your own solutions and change the world. Good luck

Floating Crab Cages

Chicken Feeder

Terrace Farming System

Water carrier