Two months ago, the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation put online an article about a researcher, a field worker, and a trainer in the realms of appropriate technology, Shri Ram Kumar Singh. He has helped reduce the drudgery of the artisans and farmers and developed a successful model of decentralized and self-sustainable production.
With the able guidance of Gandhian Dr. Devendra Kumar, appropriate technologies have been developing during the years for rural development to make the lives of village laborers, farmers, and artisans drudgery-free, economically independent, self-sustainable and prosperous.
The objectives were to develop appropriate technologies, improve production efficiency and quality, make products commercially viable and create a strong network of the organization, farmers, and artisans within the community. Kumar Singh has personally developed more than a dozen tools and helped to redesign around 166 tools and accessories in collaboration with various technical institutes.
With the goal to increase the productivity, he improved the design of the potter’s wheel, carpenter’s band saw, and blacksmith’s forge hammer by using a flywheel motor, in addition to designed a set of tools for children belonging to various age groups, which are procured by schools specially imparting Nai Taleem education.
Since 1999, Shri Ram Kumar Singh works for Suruchi Shikshan Vasahat Trust (SSVT) in Bardoli, Surat, and touched 3 areas of technology: agriculture tools, renewable energy, and organic farming. He works is spread across districts of Gujarat covering around 500 villages and about 15 000 farmers and 400 artisans.
Source: The Better India
