KISAN KAVACH: BHARAT’S INDIGENOUS ANTI-PESTICIDE SUIT

GS 3: S&T

Unveiled by: Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.

Significance:

• Purpose: Protects farmers from harmful pesticide exposure, reducing risks of health issues such as breathing disorders, vision loss, and lethality.
• Technology: Developed by BRIC-inStem, Bangalore, in collaboration with Sepio Health Pvt. Ltd.
• Innovation: Uses advanced fabric technology to deactivate harmful pesticides upon contact.

Product Details:

• Name: Kisan Kavach®
• Cost: ₹4,000
• Features:
  • Washable and reusable.
  • Usable for up to one year.
  • Employs nucleophilic-mediated hydrolysis for deactivating pesticides.
• Fabric Composition:
  • Manufactured by covalent attachment of nucleophiles on cotton fabric.
  • Research published in Nature Communications

Government and Scientific Collaboration:

• Departments Involved:
  • Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
  • BRIC-inStem

Distribution and Impact:

• First Batch: Distributed to farmers during the launch event.
• Future Plans:
  • Scaling up production for greater affordability and accessibility.
  • Aimed at benefiting India’s agricultural workforce (65% of the population).

Broader Context:

• Policy Alignment:
  • Part of PM Narendra Modi’s vision of empowering agriculture through science and technology.
  • Related to initiatives like the BioE3 biomanufacturing initiative.
• Economic Growth:
  • India has over 8,500 biotech startups, targeting a $300 billion bioeconomy.

Statements:

• Dr. Jitendra Singh: Called Kisan Kavach a transformative technology safeguarding farmers and advancing towards climate-resilient agriculture.