R P SINGHAssociate Director Extension

G B Pant University of Agri. & Tech. Pantnagar

BACKGROUND

• Project on ‘ Wood and Stone Houses’ under Mission Mode of ITK Validation.

• Several old structures found earthquake resistant.

• The grain storage structures were also centre of attraction in the houses.

Wood and Stone Houses

Why it has attraction?

Special security and attention

ScenarioThere has been bumper production of wheat and rice for the last two years consecutively. The government godowns are overflowing with wheat and rice stocks and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) is facing a storage crunch. The country produced 86 million tonne wheat and 95 million tonne rice in the 2010-11 crop year.

As per the second estimate, there is record production of wheat at 88 million tonne and unprecedented production of rice at 102 million tonne this year. The government expects further rise in the production in the final estimates.

- Union agriculture secretary Prabeer Kumar Basu. Feb. 13, 2012, Economic Times

Conti.. Post-harvest losses in India amount to 12 to 16 million metric tons of food grains each year, an amount that the World Bank stipulates could feed one-third of India's poor. The monetary value of these losses amounts to more than Rs 50,000 crores per year (Singh, 2010).

Natural contamination of food grains is greatly influenced by environmental factors such as type of storage structure, temperature, pH, moisture, etc (Sashidhar et al, 1992).

Conti…

Grains are precious • Food security is most

important in remote.• Theft of grains was

common in lean period.

• Wooden structures with carving shows their importance.

• Wooden structure provides strength to security and bad conduction for temperature.

Wooden Storage Structure

Used in hilly and cold areas called ‘Bakharas’

Size 8’x 6’ Small outlets to

avoid moisture exposure in the store while, drawing grains.

Provision for Locking.

Double Layer Storage Technique

• Wooden planks for making plate form.• Entry point for ground floor.• Door size 2.5’ x 2’• Shutting knob.

Mud & Straw based structure

Used for out door storage.

Prepared by mud and straw.

Plastered and painted by by clay and cow dung.

Plate form raised for 1’

Covered by striped biomass

Bamboo and Mud based Structure

• Known as Gummi in Asam.• Prepared by Bamboo and mud.• Plastered and painted by by clay and cow dung..• Wheat straw is used for sealing the grain bags in the Gummi.• Covered with striped biomass of sugar cane.

Indoor

Kothi

Used in Punjab, Haryana, U. P. Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Himachal PradeshMade with clay, wheat straw and cow dung. Plastered and painted by clay and cow dung. Wall thickness about 2-4 inches An opening at upper side of Kothi for filling the grains. The opening is covered with a disc made of same materials. An opening is made at front at lower side to draw the grains. It has also covered with a socket made up of same materials. After filling the grains it is plastered and painted with pest made of clay and cow dung.

Earthen pot

Mataka

Used in Haryana, U P, Punjab, M P, Jharkhand and Bihar.Made up of sandy clay and burnt in fire to make harden. Painted by water colour. Walls are 1-2 cm. thick. Capacity varies about 5-10 lts. Single opening with cover.

Wooden box

Sanduk

Used in Karnataka, A P, MP, Chattishgarh. Size varies W 2-3’ L 4-6’ and H 2-4’ Wooden plank 0.5-1.0 inch Some time inside partition. Capacity varies 60-100 kg.

Rigal/Bamboo Basket

Peru

Used in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Asam. Weaved by twigs/ strips. Plastered by cow dung. Single opening at upper side. Capacity varies 5-10 kg.

TechnologyThe technology is complex and complete, involving many factors and many new practices, it can be adopted piecemeal, although none of the pieces bring the advantages that the entire technology does. The end result for the recipient must be the ability to use, replicate, improve and, possibly re-sell the technology. Technology recipients should be able to identify and select technologies that are appropriate to their actual needs, circumstances and capacities. ESTs protect the environment, are less polluting, use resources in a sustainable manner, recycle more of their wastes and products, and handle all residual wastes in a more environmentally acceptable way that the technologies for which they are substitutes. Preferably a technology recipient will go even further, and select a “sustainable technology” – i.e. a technology that is not only environmentally sound but also economically viable and socially acceptable.

Highlights of indigenous storage methods• Wooden/ Mud structures provide bad conduction to out

side temperature and inside temperature.•Bamboo structures made on a raised timber or stone platform protect grain from rat damage and prevent moisture absorption from the ground. • Regular mud plastering is required for a variety of indoor and outdoor storage containers and structures for increasing their life span and ensuring safe storage of grains. • The structures made of indigenous material like bamboo, straw and other locally available materials. • Indigenous storage structures are not suitable for storing grains for very long periods.

Need of the hour FCI can keep the stocks with the farmers instead of purchasing the grain from them. As per the present categorization in vogue that if a farmer stores the grain without infestation then he should be given some incentive apart from normal government price. This would encourage the farmers to store the grains properly and ultimately it would lead to zero loss level and the pressure on storage space with FCI can also be reduced.

Bisht B S. and G. Singh, 2011Develop bins or storage structures with the qualities available in indigenous technical knowhow. Design small storage structures for region specific conditions. It will help in reducing storage losses. Materials of storage structures may be used for environmentally suitable, economically viable and socially acceptable. Storage technology may be evolved scientifically improved and replicable at regional level.

ConclusionNatural contamination of food grains is greatly influenced by environmental factors such as type of storage structure, temperature, pH, moisture, etc. At any given time 60-70% of grains is stored on the farm in traditional structures like Bakhara,Kanaja, Kothi, Sanduka, earthern pots, and Gummi . However indigenous storage structures are suitable for storing grains in their region specific conditions. Here in lies the significance of improved storage structures for specific region and scientific storage of grains in form of warehouses. These provide safe and economical means of grain storage for long durations. Need of the hour is to strengthen traditional means of storage with modern inputs and to provide cheaper storage to farmers so as prevent enormous storage losses.