People from rural areas often come to cities for employment leaving behind their untilled farms. And in their daily race to make ends meet, they often forget about farming. To help such people, Sandeep Kesarkar, 49, made a software through which one can do automated farming. It is thus no surprise that he has been awarded the Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi Award for technocratic business excellence and social work in Konkan belt.
Kesarkar, a mechanical engineer, who stays in Kolbad is into automation business. He has designed numerous softwares and hardwares and his efforts have been recognised. On November 25, he received the prestigious award at India Habitat Center, New Delhi. "It feels good to have efforts recognised. In past, my works have been recognised by the Mumbai University, the Thane Municipal Corporation among others," says Kesarkar. The award is given by All India Unity Conference to men and women from various fields for their outstanding services, achievements and contributions.
Under the automated farming system, one can do farming right from the city with the help of a mobile device or a tablet. It also needs less labour on field. "A mobile network at the farm is necessary. There is a data processing unit at the form which has a SIM card. The card will acquire data like, weather conditions, humidity, water required, among others, from the processor and transmit it to your mobile phone," says Kesarkar. Folowing which, based on your command sent from the network, the irrigation system starts at the farm. "You only need two people at the farm to do the required work. If you install CCTV, then you can even see what is happening at the farm on your phone," he adds.
His social work includes working tirelessly for the upliftment of the Konkan belt through his NGO, Kokan Bhumi Pratishthan. "We have introduced co-operative agriculture and milk production in Chiplun and Kasarda village respectively, to help farmers be self-sufficient so that they do not have to come to cities for employment," he says. This concept is different from forming co-operative societies. Here, a group of people who come to city for work can leave the farm to one's relative at their native, who can do farming and the produce can be shared by everyone equally.
Besides being an entrepreneur and a social worker, Kesarkar is also a voluntary lecturer at various engineering colleges. "I have seen that many students of mechanical and instrumentation engineering have the academic knowledge of various concepts, but no practical understanding. So to help such students, I give voluntary lectures," says he.
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