All India Coordinated Research Project on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture

The All India Coordinated Research Project on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture was started by ICAR during the year 1996. This project was earlier known as AICRP on Human Engineering and Safety in Agriculture. The Coordinating Cell of the project is at CIAE Bhopal and there are seven cooperating centres those being located at CIAE Bhopal, TNAU Coimbatore, OUAT Bhubaneswar, PAU Ludhiana, MPUAT Udaipur, NERIST Nirjuli and IIT Kharagpur. The last three centres have been started in October 2004 during X Plan.

Mandate and objectives of the Project

The mandate of the Project is to create databases on ergonomical parameters of Indian agricultural workers and to develop/ adapt the equipment/ technology/ work system for increasing production, reducing drudgery and minimizing accidents in agricultural and allied activities through application of ergonomics.

Objectives of the Project

(i)    Analysis of farm accidents and assessment of causes from actual accident site, and plan strategies to minimize these accidents.

(ii)     Design and development of safety devices for selected machines, testing and standardization and popularization in rural areas.

(iii)    Collection and compilation of anthropometric data on Indian agricultural workers for design of grips, handles, seats, work height, work spaces and controls in agricultural machinery.

(iv)   Studies on man-machine-environment interaction and human fatigue under different work situations for improvement in the design of agricultural and allied equipment / work systems.

The database on accident helps in having a clear picture of the situation in the country and to decide the priorities, and to chalk out work-plan for preventing/minimizing the accidents. These work plans after due testing will be given to the state governments for large-scale implementation which will result in accident minimization in agriculture. Continuous monitoring of accident data would help in assessing the impact of various preventive measures. The countrywide anthropometric database generated through this AICRP would help in better design of hand tools and manually operated equipment, animal drawn implements and work places in tractor and self propelled/ power operated machines. It will be useful to research engineers in other ICAR coordinated projects (like FIM, UAE, PHT), ICAR Institutes, NRC on Women in Agriculture, State Agricultural Universities as well as tractor and farm machinery industries. The studies on man-machine-environment interaction are helpful in increasing the productivity and efficiency of human workers without jeopardizing their health through better design of equipment and work systems. The AICRP on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture also addresses the gender related technological issues. In this project special emphasis is being given to assess various available tools/equipment for their suitability to women workers and to refine these equipment/ develop women friendly equipment wherever necessary. Thus, the AICRP on ESA has a major role to play in minimizing accidents and improving the life of workers in agricultural and allied sectors through design of safe and efficient machines and working environment based on ergonomical principles.

 Goal of the Project

The goal of AICRP on ESA is Protection and Judicious Utilization of Human Resource In Agriculture.


AICRP on ESA Cooperating Centres & Contact Persons

Name & Designation

Address

CIAE Bhopal

 

Dr. C.R. Mehta,

Head AMD

Er. P.S. Tiwari,

Scientist (SG)

Agricultural Mechanization Division

Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering

Nabi Bagh, Bhopal - 462 038.

Phone: 0755-2747894, Fax: 0755-2734016

TNAU Coimbatore

 

Dr. K. Kathirvel, Professor

Dr. D. Ramesh, Asstt. Professor

Department of Farm Machinery

College of Agricultural Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore - 641 003.

Phone: 0422-5511257, Fax: 0422-2432376

OUAT Bhubaneswar

 

Dr. G.C. Satapathy, Assoc. Professor

Dr. S.K. Mohanti, Asstt. Professor

Department of Farm Machinery & Power

College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology

Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology Bhubaneswar - 751 003

Phone: 0674-2564111, Fax: 0674-2564111

PAU Ludhiana

 

Dr. C.J.S. Pannu, Res. Engr.

Er. N.K. Chhuneja, Asstt. Professor

Department of Farm Power and Machinery

Punjab Agricultural University, 

Ludhiana -141 004  

Phone: 0161-2408684, Fax: 0161-2408684

MPUAT Udaipur

 

Dr. A.K. Mehta, Assoc. Professor

Er. S.S. Meena, Asstt. Professor

Dr. Hemant Shrimali, Technical Officer

Department of Farm Machinery & Power

College of Technology and Engineering

Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur - 313001

Phone: 0294-2470119, Fax: 0294-2420447

IIT Kharagpur

 

Prof. V.K. Tewari, Professor

Er. Vidhu K.P., JPO

Er. A.K. Srivastava, JPO

Department of Agricultural & Food Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology

Kharagpur - 721 302

Phone: 03222-283152, Fax: 03222-282244, 282244

NERIST Nirjuli

 

Dr. K.N. Dewangan, Asstt. Professor

Er. Ujjwal Chakraborty, JPO

Er. Kunal Prasad, JPO

Agricultural Engineering Department

North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Nirjuli (Itanagar) - 791 109

Phone: 0360-2257401 to 12, Fax: 0360-2244307

Dr. BSKKV Dapoli

 

Dr. V.T. Badhe, Assoc. Dean

Er. V.V. Aware, Assoc. Professor

 

Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth

College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, Dapoli - 415 712

Phone: 02358-282414, Fax: 02358-282414, 282025, 282411

CSKHPKV Palampur

 

Dr. D.K. Vatsa, Head

 

 

 

Department of Agricultural Engineering

Choudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya, Palampur - 176 062

Phone: 01894-230389, Fax: 01894-230406

CAEPHT Gangtok

 

Dr. P.K. Srivastava, Dean

Dr. Tapan Kumar Khura, Asstt. Profesor

 

College of Agricultural Engineering & Post Harvest Technology (Central Agricultural University), Ranipool, Gangtok - 737 135 (Sikkim)

Phone: 03592-251359, Fax: 03592-251390

For further information, please contact:

Dr. L.P. Gite

Project Coordinator (AICRP on ESA)

 

Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering

Nabi Bagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal - 462 038

Phone: 0755- 2747430 (O), 0755- 2495293 (R)

Fax: 0755- 2734016; E-mail: lpgite@ciae.res.in

Website: http://www.ciae.nic.in