Society for Technology & Development
1. STATUS :
The Society for Technology & Development (STD) is a non-profit organization registered under the Societies Act 1860. STD was founded in 1990 by a group of dedicated and experienced professionals with backgrounds in different disciplines to undertake studies and projects in the developmental arena, with a special interest in action research towards replicable models and strategies of benefits to deprived sections. Though the society was formed in 1990, yet it has worked as a field station of CTD New Delhi since 1983.
Our core group was set up in 1983-84 with some full-time personnel and infrastructure to give concrete expression to its objectives. Activities and projects under taken had an interdisciplinary approach with a focus on areas of interface between science , technology and society.
Projects and studies at STD, while covering a wide range focus on the rural and urban poor, especially on participatory field-based programmes with innovative applications of science and technology aimed at generation and demonstration of viable and replaceable models and methodologies. Technology development and adaptation for rural and urban-poor application receive particular attention.
STD has implemented a variety of projects, with sponsorship/support from Governmental departments, like Department of Science & Technology, CAPART, HUDCO & various research organisations.
These projects have covered planning & formulation, implementation & management, monitoring & evaluation, information systems & networking, hardware & software.
The projects themselves have involved technology development and transfer, production and marketing, training and communication, motivation and organisation.
1.2 STD FIELD STATIONS :
STD is head quartered at BHADYAL and has other Field Stations at:
1. Malori 2. Nagwain
STD’s Field Stations are primarily active production centres with networks of artisans and other poor producers. It also undertakes related and other activities to expand linkages both horizontally and vertically.
Society started its work from Bhadyal. Later on Malori & Nagwain came into existence. Every activity at these stations is nodally co-ordinated by Society’s Head Office. Co-ordinators of each field station are members of Governing Council & thus integral part of over all management.
Each Field Station has its own infrastructure in terms of production-related activities in the respective technology sectors being pursued there and administrative/ office functions.
1.3 PERSONNEL & ORGANISATION :
STD is a multi-disciplinary group of full-time /part-time personnel with extensive experience and background in engineering, education, agriculture/ horticulture science, technology, administration, marketing and social science. About 35 persons including senior technical personnel, researchers/other field workers and administrative staff work including skilled artisans/other workers also work full-time at the Field Stations, many of them drawing support from the production-marketing activities which they lead. STD is also closely networked nation-wide with People’s Science Movement & other NGO’s, technical institutions, field researchers, experts & consultants. Apart from these above full-timers there is a network of 350 Artisans/Growers who are indirectly associated with us.
1.4 OFFICE :
STD’s main office in its BHADYAL has latest computers with all other facilities and other office equipment’s. Task-oriented documentation is maintained on different issues/subjects.
1.5 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE :
The Society elects its Governing Council & Office Bearers for a 2 year term to:
• formulate policy guidlines and takes all major decisions.
• guide and monitor implementation.
• approve the Annual Report and Accounts, and
• report to the Annual General Meeting of the Society.
ACTIVITIES
1. LEATHER SECTOR :
A major area of work in STD for over decade has been the artisanal leather sector with comprehensive support from DST. The Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) has provided valuable technical support and collaboration throughout.
Perspective and approach have been to upgrade technologies and skills for local employment, value-addition and ‘rural industrialization’, aiming for economically viable and self-sustaining systems.
1.1 VEGETABLE TANNING :
The core of this model /methodology is Vegetable Tanning of hides (chiefly from fallen cattle) by groups of artisanal tanners equipped with improved/adapted technologies, skills and organization, networking with village-level flayers. Ideally-typical, projects with a nodal Tanning Unit would cover about 20 km. radius or 100-150 villages potentially involving, say, 200 flayers (artisans).
Tanning Units and networks were set up and demonstrated at Bhadyal Field Station in the mid- ’90 and have been self sustaining through improved production/marketing since then. Now major functions are conducted at Malori field station.
The Unit use CLRI’s improved veg.- tanning process adapted to local conditions and mostly sell the leather in the local markets to footwear artisans /units. In this area, the Unit/ network have been able to check/reverse the trend in rural areas of ‘exporting’ raw material and buying finished goods with little/no local value-addition.
Further technology upgradation of these Units is underway through a programme jointly supported by the Leather Technology Mission and the Department of Science & Technology.
1.2 WET-BLUE TANNING :
Due to local variations in supply/ demand the Tanning Units produce Wet-Blue Chrome Leather for sale to finishing units. Our Unit which has a sound base in Veg.-tanning have also taken up Wet -Blue as diversification to cover these grades of raw hides at our field station Malori.
1.3 LEATHER PRODUCTS :
Work in this sector was initiated as forward linkage to the tanning activity. The Veg. Tanning unit Malori ( earlier Bhadyal) operates a viable nodal Unit with a network of individual footwear artisans who make Footwear catering chiefly to ‘low-end’ rural/town markets. STD’s Malori Unit have also taken up making other Products such as bags, Purse luggage bags, gift items etc. Needless to say, this has involved considerable use of non-leather materials as well in both footwear and other leather products. The ARTISAN‘S trade mark is quite well known in the area. The organisation besides marketting its products through authorised dealers in various parts of HP has opened its exclusive Showroom in the heart of Mandi Town .
1.4 CARCASS & BONE UTILIZATION :
An area of work at STD has been in Bone Utilization as back ward linkage with the Tanning-Flaying network. This seeks to utilize the material/parts left after removing the hide from dead cattle and which are usually left for carrion. Adapting from and improving upon earlier effort by several other agencies, CTD has developed and demonstrated a viable model Unit and systems working at cluster-of -villages level its Dehradun Field Station. On these lines STD has established a bone Utilization Unit at its Malori Field Station. Valuable inputs have been obtained from CLRI’s Animal By-Products Division. A Carcass Cooker, with 150/250 kg. capacity for the bones left form a carcass are cooked in 30 psi operating pressure, is the hub of the system with other sub-systems such as drier, crusher etc. The process yields bone meal for poultry feed and for fertilizer.
2. RED CLAY POTTERY :
Artisanal Red-Clay Pottery is another area of focus in STD through a model developed by CTD and several other S&T Institutions. Effort have been success in developing a ‘package’ of improved /new technologies for use by clusters of artisanal potters for making is diversified range of products.
STD itself has contributed in replication of the package in descaling of the machines for rural artisanal ‘industries’, improvement of clay quality, product development besides system design and over all conceptualization, through Malori unit.
3. HORTICULTURAL PROCESSING & PRESERVATION :
Efforts are underway to evolve and demonstrate viable S&T-based systems for low-cost processing/preservation of fruits and vegetables involving small growers, especially women, towards sustainable local value addition and employment/ income generation. STD as established a fruit processing unit at Nagwain, where several innovative products and processes are being developed under this programme.
Innovations being introduced are both in terms of technologies as well as new production systems involving decentralised production and increased value addition at the village level. STD is selling its products in the name of FARMER’S. The unit is sustainable now.
4. NURSERY TECHNIQUES :
Nursery Techniques involve raising seedlings, saplings and grafts of economically useful and ornamental plants through scientific methods, as the demand for quality planting material is steadily increasing due to interest in fruit tree cultivation, vegetable gardening social forestry, agro-forestry, and plantation crops. Several new techniques are now available in this sector, chiefly among them being Mini-green house, High-humidity chamber, Plastic mulch, use of compost, Shade net, harmonesand and Supplementary Light.
5. EXPERIMENTAL COLD STORE :
An experimental project in collaboration with CTD & ASTRA group of IISc, Banglore is underway in Nagwain Mandi (H.P.) to evolve and field -test a relatively low-cost ice-based cold storage unit. In brief, the system involves an underground chamber with an annular space for storing ice/snow, using the surrounding earth as insulation and periodic recharging with ice to compensate for the low rate of melt after steady-state is reached.
6. BLACKSMITHY :
With a view to upgrading capabilities in the rural engineering sector, this programme focuses on blacksmiths. Attempt is to widen the range of skills and products/services of these artisans who continue to have considerable base in agriculture related sectors.
The improved technologies with upgraded tools and equipment’s in this sector are under way in collaboration with NML. Jamshedpur with upgraded tools which are more efficient.
7. CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY :
Pilot-scale initiatives are underway in Bhadyal to meet the needs of poorer sections as users and different categories of artisans as ‘carriers’ of the new/improved technologies.
Focus has hither to been on stabilised mud block technologies from ASTRA/IISc and micro-concrete roofing tiles (MCR) from Development Alternatives, a Delhi-based NGO. MCR Tiles can easily replace the slates for roofing purpose, as they are economical, easy to make, and can resist all weathering effects.
For last year Society is running a Rural Building center with the help of HUDCO . Focus is on training people regarding the uses of cost-effective technologies like , Stabilised Mud Blocks , MCR tiles, Random Rubble blocks , Precast items , ferro-cement channels and pits , rat trap bonding . Training is imparted to masons and engineers . Society‘s buildings are constructed with these technologies .
8. TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE CENTRE (TRC) :
Organisation is working as a TRC for CAPART since 2001 . Under this project some infrastructure like training halls and hostels have been raised both at Nagwain & Bhadyal where trainings and workshops are organised on regular basis for NGO‘s , artisans and other community based organisations . The main objective of TRC is to build the capacity of these organisations regarding formulation and implementation of need based projects for rural poor. Society has successfully demonstarted some technologies (as listed above) suitable for rural development which need to be replicated in other parts of the state , TRC is the carrier for that . Efforts are on to adapt some more technologies which can reduce drudgery ,enhance efficiency , and generate income in its menu .
9. OTHERS PROJECT’S :
Organisation has taken up some projects based on the concept of integrated rural development by ensuring people‘s participation for 2-3 villages . The aim is to establish them as ‘ADARSH GAON‘ . To achieve its objective of technology transfer some R&D projects with the help of DST are also in pipeline . Training is also imparted to the Self help groups formed by other agencies under different developmental schemes of Govt. regarding income generation. Organisation has been sharing its experiences with other NGO‘s,Govt. Deptts, DRDA & Industries .
OBJECTIVE OF THE ORGANIZATION :
- Value addition to local materials/produce leading to skill upgradation / local employment/ income generation.
- House hold mode to collective/industrial mode of productions with higher scale and near to the raw materials.
- Network of units at different level/ function for economic viability and long term sustenance.
- Introduce upgraded/suitable/proven technology of apporiate scale to be repaired/maintained locally.
- Need based production with emphasis on local/non local market.
- Participatory form of production and management .
- Linkages with National/State level R&D institution.
- Formation of S&T field agency with potential of conducting technical and managerial function.
- Replication of the work in other places.
