Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute

Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is a non-governmental organisation and non-profit research and development institute in Phaltan, Maharashtra, India. The institute undertakes research and development in the fields of agriculture, renewable energy, animal husbandry and sustainable development.^[1] The institute was founded in 1968 by Shri B.V. Nimbkar, who remained its president until 1990. Dr.Anil K. Rajvanshi is currently the director of the institute whereas Dr. Nandini Nimbkar is the president.

Agriculture

NARI has developed various safflower varieties and hybrids for both high oil content and petals.^[2] NARI is one of the research centers included in the All India Coordinated Research Project on Oilseeds for irrigated safflower under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR, New Delhi).^{[citation needed]} The institute has developed high yield varieties and hybrids of cotton, sunflower, safflower, and sweet sorghum (named Madhura),^[3] as well as technology for producing ethanol, jaggery and syrup from sweet sorghum. NARI also carries out agrochemical testing for various companies and research laboratories in India to the standards of the Central Insecticides Board for the purposes of registration of new agro-chemicals.

Renewable energy

Work in this field has been mostly in solar and biomass energy and recently in sustainable and environmentally friendly transport systems, ethanol lighting/cooking and handicapped rickshaw.

• NARI has developed an efficient multifuel lantern called Noorie for rural areas.^[4]
• Complete technology for producing ethanol from sweet sorghum has been developed at the institute. A number of high ethanol yielding varieties have also been produced.^[5]
• NARI has developed a stove running on 50% (w/w) and more ethanol/water concentration.[2]
• The gasification technology for thermal applications has been developed at NARI, including technology for gasification of loose leafy biomass fuels like sugarcane leaves and bagasse, sweet sorghum stalks and bagasse.[3]
• Technology to increase survival of tree seedlings in arid regions has been developed. Solar energy is used to collect water from soil, which is then fed to the seedlings.^{[citation needed]}
• NARI has developed technology for solar detoxification of distillery waste using photocatalysts.^{[citation needed]}
• NARI has developed electric and improved cycle rickshaws.^[6]
• NARI has developed a motor assisted and hand operated rickshaw for physically handicapped persons, called Manhara.^{[citation needed]}
• NARI has developed a lantern cum stove running on ethanol for rural areas.^[7]

Animal Husbandry

The research and development has focused mostly on all aspects of sheep and goat production. Improved breeds of sheep have been developed which are more productive than the local breed. Also boer goats are being used for cross breeding to improve meat production of the local goats.

Facilities

• NARI has an A class weather station for its agriculture and renewable energy research where all the weather data including solar radiation has been collected since early 1980s.
• The institute has crop varietal evaluation as well as pesticides and growth promoters testing facilities.
• The Bajaj Center for Sustainable Development, scheduled to open in March 2010, is intended to allow professionals from different fields to work towards finding solutions for the problems faced, in particular, by rural India.

Awards

• NARI was awarded the Globe Award for its work in ethanol lantern cum stove^[8]
• NARI was given the FICCI Annual Award for Rural Development for 2001-02^{[citation needed]}
• NARI's work on electric and improved cycle rickshaws won the Energy Globe Award in the AIR category in 2004^{[citation needed]}
• The Institute was given the Vasantrao Naik Award for 2006 for contributions to agriculture^{[citation needed]}
• NARI was given the 2007 CSIR award for S&T for rural development for its sheep breeding work^[9]
• Dr. V. Singh, the safflower breeder of the Institute, was given the HARDF Award by Indian Society of Oilseeds Research in January 2003^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ "NARI's research areas". Online webpage. http://www.hedon.info/NimbkarAgriculturalResearchInstitute%28NARI%29India. 
2. ^ "Safflower research". Online webpage of the Financial Express. http://www.financialexpress.com/old/fe20010901/commo10.html. 
3. ^ "Development of sweet sorghum at NARI". From the American Chronicle. http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/49211. 
4. ^ "Lantern research at NARI". From The Tribune. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010722/nation.htm. 
5. ^ "Ethanol Stove research at NARI". http://www.hedon.info/NariEthanolStove. 
6. ^ "Sustainable transport research at NARI". From The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/lf/2003/11/18/stories/2003111801090200.htm. 
7. ^ "The LanStove (Lantern+Stove) developed at NARI". From The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/008200901161341.htm. 
8. ^ "Globe Award to NARI". From The Hindu (Chennai, India). 4 June 2009. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200906041831.htm. 
9. ^ [1]

External links

• NARI website