Grassroots innovations on display at Ambedkar varsity

LUCKNOW: President Ram Nath Kovind will get a glimpse of new varieties of tomatoes and agricultural equipment developed with indigenous technology at the Grassroots Innovators’ Summit and Exhibition when he visits the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University on Friday.

To encourage innovations, the innovation cell of the university has organised a three-day summit and exhibition, where 50 grassroots innovators, including 10 farmers and 40 students and professors, have displayed their innovations.

Among them is a hi-tech farmer of Daulatpul village near Barabanki, Ram Saran Verma, who has introduced a high-yielding variety of tomato in the village.

His farming technique was simple, but the profit was more than that of regular varieties. This son of the soil is now reaping the fruits of his innovative scientific harvest.

A class 10 dropout, Verma has developed various tools that have ensured speedy completion of tasks besides raising the quality of yield. Mansa Ram, a farmer, will showcase varieties of paddy, wheat and Marigold flower.

“Innovators can help us get a better quality of life at less cost. Grassroots innovation can provide more value at less cost and help us get more out of less for many, ” said Venkatesh Dutta, president, University Innovation Club.