If sachin is god for cricketers then Annasaheb udgavi is god for farmers.

25 years ago Farmers never knew that they would get an economical sprinkler that would irrigate land of as much as 140 ft radius. But then came an avatar for farmer who invented an economical sprinkler which could irrigate as much as 1 acre of land in hour and a half. And this man was Annasaheb Udagavi, a 78 year old farmer in Sadalga village of Chikkodi taluk of Belgaum district in North Karnataka, who has designed a sprinkler head twelve years ago which does not just irrigate but a lot more.

Why he invented the product?

Annasaheb was a betel vine farmer for as long as he could remember. Poor prices of betel leaf forced him to switch over to tobacco cultivation for a few years. He then switched over to sugarcane for better returns and during this period, started thinking about the sprinkler irrigation system. By studying commonly available sprinkler systems, he developed his own design to suit the requirements of the sugarcane crop. Upon successfully testing the raingun, he refined it by adding nozzles of various sizes for discharging water, and introducing a locking system for part circle irrigation operation. The raingun was named Chandraprabhu, after a Jain Tirthankar. While the raingun has been developed with sugarcane in mind, it can also be applied with excellent results to a number of other crops such as groundnut, tapioca, onion, potato etc.

How he invented the product? In the early 90s, when hardly anybody knew much about drip irrigation, he pondered over the idea of using it in his own way. To save his betel-vine orchard from the acute scarcity of water, Annasaheb fitted PVC pipes used in electrical fittings after making perforations in them with nails. He spent Rs 30,000 to cover two acres of betel-vine in 1985. By irrigating for an hour each day, he successfully maintained the orchard for seven years. But poor prices for betel leaf and labour problems made him switch over to other crops. Washing away pests: A novel way of pest control Annasaheb then cultivated tobacco for a few years. It was during this period, that he started thinking about the sprinkler irrigation system. He believed that it was also the best method to wash down the aphids and white flies with a high pressure water spray and save his crops. Subsequently, he switched over to sugarcane cultivation in pursuit of better returns. Although he had dug another well for irrigating the sugarcane crop, the problem of salinity and the difficulty of irrigating the dense crop stands kept him busy searching for alternatives. This is where his thoughts on a sprinkler irrigation system started taking shape. Birth of a new sprinkler By studying the conventional sprinkler irrigation system at various exhibitions and locations, he came out with his own design to suit the requirements of sugarcane crop. He worked with wood at home and ultimately arrived at a suitable design which he got fabricated at a foundry. After installing it in his field, he further refined its design. To achieve a balanced shaft movement, Annasaheb added about 400 g of additional weight at the back. At the outlet, he provided a groove for fixing different sized nozzles to throw water to different lengths, as needed. Further, he introduced a locking system to prevent the sprinkler head from throwing water into the neighbouring fields. With all these refinements, Annasaheb now has an almost perfect sprinkler head which he has named after the goddess, Chandraprabha. Comparison with other designs The cost of

installation and other advantages of conventional sprinkler system depend on the shape of the field, source of water and the crop to be irrigated. However, a simple comparison of a conventional sprinkler system with Chandraprabha Raingun clearly illustrates the advantages of the new innovation over the conventional sprinkler system

How did he introduced the prouct into the market? Establishing a Raingun Microenterprise At the Rural Innovations Network (RIN), RIN team saw the potential, as it could not only play a key role in the irrigation sector with the water savings it offered but also make a crucial difference to the cane economy. Anna received first hand confirmation of the potential when we exhibited the raingun at leading exhibitions such as Kisan 2001, Agri Index 2001, and Krishi India 2002 in Bangalore, Coimbatore, Trichy and other places. To support commercialization of the raingun, RIN tried various routes. The first attempt was to present the raingun to EPC Industries Limited, national irrigation company. They were extremely satisfied with its performance. In subsequent discussions, RIN was keen on a technology transfer while they were keen on a marketing arrangement. As a result, the discussions did not meet with success. Later, a marketing tie-up was facilitated between Anna Saheb and International Development Enterprises, a not for profit micro irrigation company in Bangalore. Anna Saheb supplied twenty-two rainguns to the company. However, problems with respect to product quality cropped up in the exchange and the tie-up reached a stalemate. RIN, based on these experiences came to the conclusion that it was better to strategise a different arrangement to realize the potential of the innovation and reward the innovator. More clearly, the idea was to find somebody who would make and market the raingun with a license from Anna Saheb. The Business model RIN began searching for an entrepreneur who would take on the product. A business plan was developed to pitch the product to various entrepreneurs. Soon a deal was struck between Anna Saheb and Servals Automation in April 2002, whereby Anna Saheb would supply the technology and Servals would manufacture and market the product. As the raingun needed fresh investment, discussions with Aavishkaar India Micro Venture Capital Fund (AIMVCF) were initiated. A draft business plan of three years was presented to AIMVCF. Detailed discussions saw the business plan being developed for a five year period, during which time it is proposed to sell 3500 rainguns with immediate effect. After intense examination, which looked at the entrepreneurs track record, the technology and its promise, the market scenario, and the human resources to be put on the raingun enterprise, AIMVCF has decided to invest in the raingun. Even while discussions were on, we test marketed the raingun in Tamilnadu and have received encouraging signals from the market about its potential. This business model, the first of its kind in the country, will create a surge in rural based micro enterprise venture investments.

Did he patent the product? Yes the product has been patented by Mr. Anna and can be used for many years.