Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is a non-governmental organization and non-profit research and development institute in Tambmal, Phaltan, Maharashtra, India. (NARI) undertakes research and development in the fields of agriculture, renewable energy, animal husbandry and sustainable development.[1] Shri B. V. Nimbkar founded the institute in 1968 and remained its president until 1990. Currently, Dr. Anil K. Rajvanshi is 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).[3] The institute has developed high-yield varieties and hybrids of cotton, sunflower, safflower, and sweet sorghum (named Madhura),[4] 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 rickshaws.

  • NARI has developed an efficient multifuel lantern called Noorie for rural areas.[5]
  • A 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.[6]
  • NARI has developed a stove running on 50% (w/w) and more ethanol/water concentration.
  • The gasification technology for thermal applications has been developed at NARI, including technology for the gasification of loose leafy biomass fuels like sugarcane leaves and bagasse, sweet sorghum stalks and bagasse.
  • Technology to increase the survival of tree seedlings in arid regions has been developed. Solar energy is used to collect water from the soil, which is then fed to the seedlings.[7]
  • NARI has developed technology for the solar detoxification of distillery waste using photocatalysts.
  • NARI, in the late 1990s pioneered the development of electric cycle rickshaws in India.[8]
  • NARI has developed a lantern cum stove running on ethanol for rural areas.[9]
  • Recently NARI has extended the ethanol Lanstove concept to that running on kerosene.[10]
  • A YouTube on NARI's Lnstove is available.
  • NARI has recently developed a very low-cost water purification system using solar energy.[11]

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

References

  1. ↑ Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute
  2. ↑ These Hybrid Varieties of Safflower Can Shake Up Agriculture and Farmer Income in the Dry States
  3. ↑ "AICRP-SAFFLOWER". www.icar-iior.org.in. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Syrup made from sweet sorghum could be next best health food". From the Better India. 27 March 2017.
  5. ↑ "Lantern research at NARI". From The Tribune.
  6. ↑ "Ethanol Stove research at NARI".
  7. ↑ This Experiment Using a Glass Cover and the Sun Can Generate Water Even in Drought Affected Areas!
  8. ↑ Electric and improved cycle rickshaw as a sustainable transport system for India
  9. ↑ "The LanStove (Lantern+Stove) developed at NARI". From The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ↑ "Kerosene lamp which cooks food without polluting". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013.
  11. ↑ An Old Saree, Glass Tubes and Sun – All you need for a revolutionary Water Purifier!
  12. ↑ UF Honors 47 Alumnae during Coeducation 50th Anniversary Celebrations
  13. ↑ FICCI award for Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute
  14. ↑ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  15. ↑ CSIR Award for rural development 2007
  16. ↑ "Globe Award to NARI". From The Hindu. Chennai, India. 4 June 2009.
  17. ↑ "Gator Engineering honors Distinguished Alumnus awardees".
  18. ↑ Padma Awardees List for 2022, Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI
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