Students design farm vehicle

An innovation by two engineering students will come in handy for small farmers and those who can’t afford additional hands for ploughing their agricultural fields.

The multi-purpose agricultural vehicle designed by Fayaz, final year EEE student, R. Sai, a third year ECE student and Komala, a final year CSE student of Prakasam Engineering College with the help of their principal, Prof. M. Lakshman Rao can be used comfortably by a single unskilled agricultural worker of any gender.

Inexpensive

“The vehicle is designed based on mechanical advantage without using fuel. The vehicle costs less than Rs. 5,000 and farmers can cultivate their land without using tractor or animals.

It is helpful for ploughing between plants, carrying and sprinkling of seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and hay measuring up to 50 kgs,” says Prof. Lakshman Rao.

The earlier version available was not handy for the small farmers owning about two or three acres. It had to be operated with the help of minimum two people as it had two cycles.

The new version has two tyres attached to a wheelbarrow. Two pipes are attached to it plough and sprinkle seeds at the same time. It can be easily lifted and pushed by two horizontal shafts attached to it.

It is also helpful for women who don’t have male support in their families and at the farm.

Prof. Rao said that functioning of this vehicle was tested successfully in several villages in Prakasham district and farmers found it extremely useful and easy to operate.

“Formalities are under process for applying patent rights,” Prof. Rao said acknowledging the valuable suggestions from social scientist, Veerabhadra Rao. He says such low cost vehicles will be in demand in the country where agriculture plays a major role in the economy of country as well as the people in the villages.