Dear Friends,

Welcome to the February edition of our Smart Village Movement newsletter! In this issue, we share news of our Water Management initiative with the ClearBot pilot, which is expanding to a new area in Meghalaya, thanks to our collaboration with Greentech. We have also featured an insightful article on the impact of innovative drone technology assisting farmers, aiming to enhance ginger production in Meghalaya. Lastly, don't miss out on reading about our Chairman, Dr. Anil Shah's visit to Rajasthan along with Vice-Chairman Mr. Vivek Shah, where they met key state officials and discussed collaborative efforts on rural development initiatives in the State with a special focus on Water, Education, and Healthcare.

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In an open-innovation collaboration, Smart Village Movement (SVM) has joined forces with BharatRohan, a vertically integrated Ag-tech company, to introduce a cutting-edge drone-based crop monitoring solution through their CropAssure package to ginger farmers in Meghalaya. This partnership holds the promise of transforming ginger farming in the region by mitigating crop losses and enhancing the income and livelihoods of local farmers.

The primary objective of this alliance is to empower farmers with precision agriculture techniques through the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) drones equipped with hyperspectral, multispectral, and thermal sensors. These advanced sensors can detect subtle changes in crop health, providing real-time data that enables farmers to make timely interventions to improve crop yield and quality. Moreover, the initiative promotes sustainable and residue-free ginger production, creating better linkages for export markets, thereby enhancing income opportunities and contributing to the economic growth of local farming communities. Read More

In the district of West Khasi Hills, a remarkable initiative is underway to revitalize the polluted Nondein & and Nonbah rivers in the market areas of Nongstoin. The Smart Village Movement (SVM), in collaboration with a local NGO - Green-Tech Foundation, and Clearbot, re-introduces a technology to collect floating waste using AI Robotic boats of 200kg capacity. This initiative is a continuation of the demonstration conducted last year at Umiam Lake by SVM under the capabilities of Clearbot, which gained much traction. 

The AI-powered marine boats have been designed to tackle the floating waste plaguing water bodies like the Nondein River. These boats offer an effective solution to combat water pollution by identifying and targeting pollution hotspots, providing real-time monitoring and adaptable strategies. The team at Green-Tech Foundation oversees the boat's daily operations, ensuring a systematic approach to waste collection and disposal. The target for waste collection is 30kg per day. Rag pickers identified from the local community shall be actively participating in the project, segregating recyclable materials for proper processing, and this is done once a week. Read More

The SVM Team recently had a meeting with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan along with Acharya Lokeshji to discuss Rural Development. They also meet with the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Kailash Choudhary, and Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, both representing the state of Rajasthan. Purshottam Rupala, the Union Minister for Fisheries, Dairy, and Animal Husbandry, who is part of the union cabinet, also joined the discussion.

The collective aim is to bring innovation and sustainable solutions to rural Rajasthan. The SVM Team explores collaboration with the state leadership and join efforts towards the development and improvement of rural areas in the state.

SVM Executive Chairman, Dr. Anil Shah, accompanied by Mahesh Doshi, SVM Gujarat Lead, recently visited two STEM Innovation Hubs in schools within Gujarat, Shree S. M. Shah Vidyamandir Savli and Eklavya Model Residential School, Wagodhia. During the visit, they engaged with teachers, students, and Principals from both schools to gain insights into the progress and status of the STEM program.

STEM is a common acronym known for its focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math is a relatively new term in the Indian education sector. In some circles, it’s referred to as STEAM, which incorporates ART to blend in creativity and design elements for a comprehensive learning experience.

STEM is a redefined learning approach where separate disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are taught in cohesion. By definition, STEM is an interdisciplinary approach that uses the overlapping of disciplines to induce practicality in the study of all sciences and mathematics and engender an interest in engineering studies.

A well-designed STEM curriculum is an upgrade from a general curriculum. Instead of treating the disciplines in isolation, it combines them for parallel development of practical skills with theory. STEM classes generally involve limited theoretical instruction from an instructor/facilitator combined with hands-on problem-solving and group projects using the concepts learned. An ideal STEM learning environment is all about asking questions and encouraging independent thinking. In STEM, failure teaches students to problem-solve and is an essential part of growth. Read More.