Sadasibo Majhi (43)
Koraput, Odisha
Manual Paddy Transplanter
Sadasibo’s device cuts down the time taken to transplant paddy seedlings from nurseries to fields. Four spiral conveyors move seedling bundles towards four pairs of rubber rollers. Then, metal pincers pluck the bundles, pierce the soil, and release the seedlings at adjustable width and depth. The chain and sprocket mechanism of its two wheels move the gear, and paddles on their spokes help it wade through waterlogged fields.It covers 0.16 hectares in an hour.
Since these movements depend on a single sealed gearbox, Sadasibo had to measure and configure all parts very precisely. An error of a few millimetres would throw off the coordination. After much trial and error, and many years, this is his seventh and final model.
“I have no land of my own. The idea formed over tea with my farmer friends. Every year they faced the same struggle - either sowing would be delayed, or their yield would be low,” he responded, when asked about his inspiration. It is lightweight, and only 3 feet wide. Two people are needed to operate the machine. It is currently priced at Rs. 35,000, but Sadasibo wants to make it more affordable to farmers. He hopes that with assistance from NIF, the cost can be reduced to Rs. 20,000-25,000.
(also see a similar invention by fellow Odiya farmer Ranjit Mirig:
nif.org.in/innovation/manual-...)