As we have already gone through the layout, understanding its working should not be difficult. However before starting the pump, a farmer needs to check the availability of the power at the pump by m-connection. Thus with the help of his mobile phone, yes the same mobile phone that uses in his daily life, he connects with the GSM unit and if there is adequate power, he hears a simple audio tone of 400 Hz on his mobile phone. On the other hand, if there is no adequate power then no tone is heard. Once confirmed on the status of the power supply, he presses the START CODE digits on his mobile phone which sends DTMF tones to the GSM units. GSM unit decodes the DTMF tones and switches on the electromechanical relay inside the unit. A MOTOR ON relay triggers the Auto Switch to start the water pump. Auto Switch ensures healthy starting of the water pump by taking care of the adequate phase sequence and single phasing fault. As soon as water pump starts, a feedback is sensed by MOTOR ON terminal of GSM unit and a farmer hears a vibrating tone of MOTOR ON and then he hangs off. This task is completed in few seconds. After irrigation is finished, farmer does the same operation for switching off the pump. He calls, checks the PUMP ON and then presses a STOP CODE on his mobile phone. A relay inside the GSM unit is switched off and hence the starter. As soon as the pump turns off, a 400 Hz tone is heard by the farmer confirming that the power is there but motor is switched off.
In case of any sudden failure in the power while a pump is running, Auto Switch immediately stops the water pump and an alert call or SMS is sent to the farmer’s mobile phone. As soon as adequate power is resumed at the pump end, an alert call or SMS is again sent to the farmer’s mobile phone. Important point to note is that if anyone opens the door of the panel, another alert call or SMS is sent avoiding any theft or anyone malfunctioning the operation of the system. Hence, due to multiple functions of m-connectivity with the water pump, a farmer can monitor the pump operations 24×7 from any distance without physically going at the pump area.
Advantages
Installation of one Nano Ganesh affects atleast 8 people in the village (a farmer, his family, an operator, local technician, local dealer, etc that form the BOP). I has both social as well as economical impact on the rural industry.
Social Impact
- Convenience of pump operations makes farmers, operators and their families stress free..
- Laborers are freed from poor, exhaustive work, addicted life and save their time.
- Families have become mobile literate..
- Farmers have upgraded their work of marketing and other developments of the farms.
- Saving in fuel expenses and operator costs.(USD 500 per year)
- Technology Division bridged, flow from rural to urban will be greatly stopped.
- Standard of living of BOP (base of pyramid) improved due to m-connected with the world, market etc..
- Creation of a business opportunity for local traders, businessmen and entrepreneurs.
Economical Impact
Rural Employment opportunities created in different areas like installation, repairing, courier, training, demonstrations etc. Many rural technocrats, radio mechanics, mobile technicians etc. got an additional income source.
If a farmer invests INR 5200 in Nano Ganesh – GSM unit, he would save INR 18000 in fuel, INR 12000 in water, INR 4500 in electricity, INR 1200 in soil in one year.
Challenges
Challenges came at different steps from creation to monetization. The biggest challenge in this industry was to understand the requirement of farmers and to create a product that should resolve their problem. Then there was a requirement of proving the technology on the field. The prototype that was developed in the small laboratory had to be trailed and tested on the field to find out it’s actual performance. As per Mr. Ostwal, “It needed my own technical tours in the villages during day and nights. The challenges of accessing the pumps were the challenges for me too. I had to carry the whole stuff of electronics instruments; trial circuits etc. to the water pumps sites by a two wheeler to the distance of 50 to 100 kms from my city, Pune. Sometimes, I had to walk down a distance of 3 to 4 Kms where there was no proper road for the two wheeler. In Pune, my wife and two children worried as I had not arrived in time and there was no mobile communication available. I visited about 2400 sites in my initial 12 years of e-irrigation life.”
