Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) Project Visit Report - Minnal Chithamur

   

Date of Visit: April 3, 2025

Location: Minnal Chithamur Village

Principal Investigators: Dr. V. Sujatha

Co- Principal Investigators: Dr. A. Vimala Starbino.

Objective of the Visit:

The visit was planned as part of the preliminary work for sanctioned Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) project PREDICTIVE MODELLING FOR SOIL ANALYSIS AND CROP SELECTION WITH ML AND IOT.

The primary objectives were:

•  To initiate field-level engagement for project implementation.
•  To interact with local authorities and community stakeholders.
•  To assess the soil quality, fertilizer selection and crop selection in the given land
•  To collect preliminary data related to soil testing and analysis and crop selection methods followed by the farmers 

Activities Conducted

•  Discussed with the farmers about the type of crop and soil and its fertility
•  We had a productive discussion with the Village President to explain the objectives of our UBA    project. We received their full cooperation and support for future activities.
•  A focused discussion was held regarding the crop and fertilizer selection methods followed by the farmers currently. The Village President acknowledged the need and welcomed the idea of evaluating its feasibility.
•  Our student teams interacted with several farmers and village residents to understand their daily routines, types of crops grown, and issues in fertilizers selection.
•  Discussion with professor in Soil department of SRM Agricultural college about the collection of soil samples

Observations:

• Farmers mainly try to perform soil analysis before sowing and before fertilization.
• There is a visible lack of understanding in crop selection methods and access to soil testing facilities.
•  Most crops are selected randomly based on their instincts with no scientific methods involved and lands are excessively or under fertilized due to lack of knowledge about them.

    Follow up action:

    A follow-up visit is planned to meet more farmers and collect detailed data on:

•     Collecting soil samples to perform a manual soil analysis for better understanding of the   methodologies involved.
  
•     Creation of dataset for fertilizer recommendation and crop selection.
  
•     Development of a compact soil testing kit with model implementation and IoT features.

   We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. V. Thirumurugan, UBA Coordinator of our campus, and Mrs. Anju and Mrs. Aiswarya for their valuable support in organizing transport, lunch, and refreshments, as well as for their efforts in coordinating the village-level visit. We are also deeply thankful to our Head of Department, Prof. Dr. T. Muthuramalingam, for graciously granting OD permission and encouraging our team's active participation in this rural development initiative. Their collective support played a vital role in making the visit smooth, effective, and truly meaningful for both faculty and students.

The first visit to Minnal Chithamur was successful in establishing initial rapport with the community and identifying critical areas of intervention. The insights gained will guide the subsequent steps of the UBA project implementation.

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