IIT Guwahati and HDFC Parivartan have joined hands to sanction sustainable rural development in Northeast India through technology-led initiatives. The "Focused Development Program: Enhancing Agriculture and Residue-Based Enterprises via Community Organizations" project aims to recover food and energy security, farmer income, and capacity building of thousands of farmers in Assam and Meghalaya.
The initiative also aims to strengthen local economies and sanction sustainable agribusiness models.
The three technology-driven development projects under the HDFC FDP can offer rural living and contribute to multiple sustainable development goals set by the United Nations.
These comprise ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture, safeguarding access to affordable, dependable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, building resilient infrastructure, endorsing inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and nurturing novelty.
The Biomass Pellet Production Unit, established in Meghalaya's Umnowe Village, Ribhoi District, processes agricultural and other locally available biomass into pellets, providing a sustainable, environmentally friendly substitute for wood and coal. The biomass pellets can be used as fuel for various industrial and domestic applications, reducing carbon emissions and lowering the use of fossil fuels.
The initiative contributes to properly managing agricultural waste but also provides farmers with extra income, making it a win-win solution for sustainability and rural livelihoods.
While such units can be theoretically set up on individual farms, tests related to fragmented land holdings, biomass aggregation, and economic viability make standalone operations difficult—especially in regions like Meghalaya.
This project aims to prove a scalable and replicable model for tackling supply chain inefficiencies and enabling larger biofuel operations.
The Agrivoltaics Farming and Tea Processing project, located in Assam's Hailakandi district, displays the dual use of land for agriculture and solar power generation. Medicinal herbs are grown under a 50-kilowatt (kW) solar plant, utilising the shade provided by solar panels to grow high-value crops that flourish in such an environment.
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This method maximises farmland usage, safeguarding that farmers can reduce the risk of farming by clean energy production.
The Freeze Drying and Herbal Processing Facility at IIT Guwahati focuses on adding value to fruits, medicinal plants, and other farm produce through freeze-drying technology.
This method helps preserve the nutritional content, flavour, and texture of produce while spreading its shelf life, making it suitable for high-value markets, including exports.
The initiative also promotes the formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and cooperative societies in Assam and Meghalaya to prove community-driven improved agribusiness models. These transformative projects are funded by HDFC Bank finished its HDFC Parivartan CSR initiative, which also helps IIT Guwahati in cooperating with grassroots establishments and key stakeholders to upsurge the program's influence.
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