Organisation:
Distinct Horizon
Location:
Delhi
Problem:
Urea, major nitrogen providing fertilizer is used in paddy cultivation through broadcasting methods. This method results in high costs and lower output as approx. 70% of the urea leaches through the soil and pollute the soil and water. A few of the major problems can be summarized as a low-income realization by a farmer, increased risk of crops to various biotic and abiotic stresses such as insect pests, diseases, high rainfall, etc.
Excessive use of Urea degrades soil structure and leads to its erosion and degradation. Fertilizers are one of the largest polluters on the planet, especially in crops like Paddy. Urea run-off in flood water pollutes water bodies and causes eutrophication. Farmer’s consumption, govt. subsidy & import for Urea has also increased.
Solution:
Urea Deep Placement (UDP)/ Fertilizer Deep Placement (FDP) is a technique where Urea briquettes are placed 3 inches deep inside the soil to improve crop productivity & soil health and is widely known to have exceptional benefits in paddy farming and also proven for other key crops like maize, sugarcane, etc.
At Distinct Horizon, we have developed the world’s first successful tractor powered UDP/FDP applicator (DH Vriddhi) which makes it very easy to deploy urea briquettes in soil & reduces the labour requirement by 60 times compared to manual UDP application. It is easily used with tractors or power-tillers. Hence, eliminating the major bottleneck of UDP spread globally. It can cover a hectare area in just 90 minutes.
Scalability and Impact:
We have developed the prototype as market-ready technology. Pilots & demonstrations have been conducted with over 500 farmers across 6 states. Initiated field trials in Bangladesh Our UDP Applicator has been validated by Dr. Reddy’s Foundation, Tata Chemicals & Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. There has been a visible increase in crop productivity (ranging from 10% to 60% increase in productivity) thereby doubling farmers’ profits.
Financial Requirements:
2nd Prize internationally at the GSC (member of United Nations Global Compact) Awards towards contribution for UN’s SDGs at New York, May 2017. 2nd Prize at Technology Showcase by IKP. Awarded the National Agripreneurs Award by Entrepreneurship Association of India and Holland. Distinct Horizon named amongst the Global Top 20 Future Creators of 2017. Finalist at Food Loss Challenge Asia, Singapore, by Rabobank & Wharton India Startup Challenge. 1/24 winning Startup of Maharashtra Start up week 2020
Awards and Recognition:
None