Project: Traditional Pokkali Rice Farming Automation
On-going project to create a shared repository of automation equipments for farmers to address labor shortage issues in realizing a successful Pokkali harvest. Allocation of identified and tested agriculture drones for sowing and spraying, ultrasonic wave instruments for bird and pest deterrance, automated sluice control aligned with tidal flows, visual crop health monitoring and alerts, tillers for dried clay farms, sufficient harvested seed drying and threshing (medhikkal) machines including prototypes of practical crop harvester for water logged clay farms.
Automation
Drones for sowing and spraying
Ultrasonic bird/pest repellent
Motion detector cameras
Automation
Sluice control automation
Tide timing detection automation
Tiller for dried farms in May
Water Salinity monitor
Automation
Seed drying machine
Seed thrasher/sifter machine
Experimental rover harvester
Pest Control
Plant Marigold (ജമന്തി) Long beans (വൻപയർ) and Black Lentil (കറുത്ത ഉഴുന്ന്,) along the Cheras and boundaries of Pokkali farms to attract insects and birds that harm the Pokkali harvest.
Drones
Drone for Seed sowing
Crop growth monitoring
Organic Pest Deterrant Spraying
Rs 300/hr rental
Cover 1 acre in 7 minutes
10L-30L load per run
Ultrasonic Devices
Ultrasonic bird and pest repellent
Solar powered
Long range
All weather
Motion Detector
Motion detector camera
Solar powered
Long range
All weather
350deg views
Audio/Mobile alerts
Deterrent
Solar powered
Long range
All weather
Low cost
Proven effective
Spikes
Reflective spikes
Weather resistent
Illusionary for birds
Low cost
Proven effective
Ribbons
Reflective Ribbon
Weather resistent
Illusionary for birds
Low cost
Proven effective
Strings
Bamboo poles spaced 10' apart
Tie white fluttering cloth strips
Link with coir strings
Hang bird deterrent spikes/ribbon
Low cost and proven effective
Thrasher
Rice thresher
Diesel fuel
Portable
High efficiency
Low cost
Tiller
Clay farm tiller
Diesel fuel
Portable
Proven efficiency
Low cost
Preliminary draft