SAPTKRISHI SCIENTIFIC PRIVATE LIMITED

we developed an innovative storage system called "SABJIKOTHI." An insulated storage that not only extends the shelf-life but also preserves the freshness of fruits and vegetables upto 30 days.

Fruits and vegetables are highly perishable in nature which accounts for wastage in 449 million metric tonnes (MMT) or 40% of global production, which results in economic losses of $ 160 billion. Emissions of carbon due to wastage is equivalent to 182 MMT. Also causes manpower and water loss while growing.

Ground Level Problem: We observed that the small landholder farmers have to commute daily to big mandis (vegetable markets) significant water and weight loss is experienced during the transportation. They even have to sell their produce at half prices in late-evening due to short shelf-life of produce and lack of storage to keep it fresh. Sometimes their produce is destroyed by stray animals, drunkards, etc. All this causes direct economic loss for the farmers, and it’s unaccounted for in the entire supply chain. Thus, this gap in the Agri-sector needed technological innovation and investment of talent to present a solution.

Validation of the problem statement at local level while interacting with 150 small and marginal farmers we came to the conclusion that they need an

·        An adequate decentralized Storage for their perishables which Can maintain the freshness and extend the shelf-life of perishables & protect it from outer harsh environment.

·        Storage should be transportable to farm & Market with limited effort without any water loss or decay. 

·        Should be independent of the grid and maintenance free.

·        Should be affordable, accessible, and available. 

Vision Statement- To impact the lives of every possible small and marginal Farmers on Earth by offering innovative and affordable solutions. According to the goal, we developed an innovative storage system called "SABJIKOTHI." An insulated storage that not only extends the shelf-life but also preserves the freshness of fruits and vegetables upto 30 days. It can be assembled on any suitable means of transportation (E-rickshaw, mini-trucks, thelas, etc.) and can transport contamination-free and pathogen-free fruits and vegetables from the field to the market without any water loss or decay. Inside storage a high humid, near sterile & Ethylene oxidising microclimate is created, thus delaying browning and ripening, and also regulating the activity of the antioxidant enzymes. The Storage needs only 20 watts of power (On grid or Off grid) and a few litres of water for its operation.

The USP of the solution lies in the fact that it is a non-chemical, non-cooling, and completely green technology at a very affordable price. It is a valuable one-time investment and shall last multiple harvest seasons.

The primary aim of our innovation ‘Sabjikothi/ Preservator’ is the upliftment of small and marginal farmers who spend their entire lives producing to feed others, while themselves being underpaid. They work tirelessly in fields only to see half of their produce getting wasted due to inadequate technological solutions.

Our target market pertains to farmers (producers) and traders of horticultural commodities. For marketing into the rural farmer segment, we are partnering up with structures of trusted NGOs, self-help groups, and micro-finance institutions which have already integrated their farmer networks. For the traders, who can be our most convinced customers, demos will be organized frequently in 'mandis'.
We have also developed many variants of the product for traders and micro-entrepreneurs to help them in growing their business. We are developing multiple sales channels and also offering easy renting of Preservator/ Sabjikothi for enterprises or businesses in need.

Sabjikothi is a valuable one-time investment and shall last multiple harvest seasons. The already low-cost chamber is priced even lower for LIS farmers & women farmers. It increases the ROI for farmers and traders and opens new opportunities and bigger markets for them. Our small-scale industries will act as employment centers for rural India. Through such rural development centers, we will specifically target women for reducing the gender disparity in agriculture.

Employment Generation: A whole range of jobs are being
created by Saptkrishi directly and indirectly. (Driver +
Manufacturing + Delivery)= More than 10 people per
deployment. Farmers’ Profit: We offer a 20-30% higher rate to
farmers than what they were selling to traders in town. They
need not travel to city for selling their fruits and vegetables
and this way they can focus more on growing fruits and
vegetables. By preventing the losses, their income increases by
more than 50%. Health Benefits: Unsafe food containing
harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances,
causes more than 200 diseases – ranging from diarrhoea to
cancers. According to WHO, an estimated 600 million – almost
1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated
food and 4,20,000 die every year, resulting in the loss of 33
million healthy life years. Preservator/Sabjikothi decreases the
pathogenic load of fruits and vegetables, and the high-end
technology has the potential to kill even the deadliest viruses,
making the fruits and vegetables safe for consumption. Social
Impact: The UN estimates that more than 40% of food
produced in India is wasted before it reaches the consumer
and the issues have been largely around supply chain
bottlenecks, transport, and storage. On the other hand, some
194 million Indians go hungry every day. Preservator can help
in curbing the problem by not only providing a storage and
transportation solution but also bringing the producer and
consumer together. Environmental Impact: The
Preservator/Sabjikothi is a non-chemical, non-cooling and
green solution for preserving fruits and vegetables. Our
analysis shows that the energy consumption of Preservator is
significantly lower than the conventional cold storages. Where
cold storages consume 30-50 kWh/m3 energy per year, the
Preservator consumes only 8.63 kWh/m3, thus reducing the
energy consumption by more than 80%. GHG Mitigation:
Preservator reduces CO2 emissions from agricultural wastes
by 95%. One smallest unit can avoid 1276.8 kg CO2 emissions
per year

Nikky Kumar Jha -CEO and Co-Founder 

Nikky Kumar Jha - An Electrical & Electronics Engineer, Environmentalist, Author, Social Entrepreneur, with a diverse technical background, superior management skills, and also committed for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Received "PARYAVARAN RATNA AWARD" at the age of 14 followed by Global Youth Entrepreneurs award, and many International and National awards. In 2018 was selected among 15 entrepreneurs from the globe by Young Sustainable Impact, Norway. Recently received Solved Champion Award by UNDP, UNV India, Climate Solver Award by WWF.

My native village Bhagalpur was responsible for producing most of the fruits and vegetables in the state. From the very beginning, I was exposed to the process of producing food, and its ultimate tour to the market. Intrigued by the agricultural world, observed the inability of a major chunk of production in reaching the market. I was also touched by the wastage that the farmers and traders incur every season, owing to the short shelf life of horticultural & floricultural produce. The situation stirred a thought in my mind. Fascinated by the struggles of my village people, was intensely motivated and driven in the direction to explore and develop

Details of Core Team members:

Rashmi Jha [Female]

Co-Founder, CTO. Rashmi jha is responsible for conducting different trials on different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Study of different kind of microclimate required for different kind of fruits and vegetables

Rina Rani

[Female]

Responsible for per day operations of production of Sabjikothi 

Shivani Jha

[Female]

Research and Administrative associate 

Rama Yadav

[Female]

Supervisor of day shift of Manufacturing Unit of sabjikothi.

Several factors which worked out while building a Strong Team:

Our team is made up of individuals with a diverse range of life, volunteer, and work experiences, which has helped us to understand the experiences of the people we serve in a variety of ways. For example, some members of our team have volunteered with organizations that serve underserved communities, which has given them firsthand experience with the challenges and needs of these groups. Other team members have worked in industries that have exposed them to the struggles and successes of people from different walks of life, which has helped them to develop a deeper understanding of the diverse experiences of the people they serve. Additionally, some team members have lived or traveled to other countries, which has given them a unique perspective on the cultural and societal differences that shape people's experiences. Together, these life, volunteer, and work experiences have helped our team to understand and connect with the people we serve in a meaningful way.

We have selected the 3 segments vegetable and fruit vendors, Wholesalers and Transporters. One on one interviews were conducted the size was 10 people each belong to the segment. We observed that the small landholder farmers have to commute daily to big mandis (vegetable markets) significant water and weight loss is experienced during the transportation. They even have to sell their produce at half prices in late-evening due to short shelf-life of produce and lack of storage to keep it fresh. Sometimes their produce is destroyed by stray animals, drunkards, etc.

Demographics (be sure to determine which are relevant for your situation, but some general categories are gender, age, income, geography, job title, education, ethnicity, marital status, political affiliations, etc.

• - Gender – 90% are males and 10% are females
  - The age of the end user is between 25 – 50 - The income range is in between the ₹8000 - ₹10000 - Living in Bihar - working as a small vendor - Elementary education - Ethnicity does not applied