Raipur (thestates.news) | Progressive farmer Praveen Dehari of Rajapara village in Kanker district of Uttar Bastar, Chhattisgarh, has been conferred the Innovative Farmer Award 2025-26 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for his contribution to farm-level innovation and poultry development.
The award was presented during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations and 51st Foundation Day of the ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (ICAR-NAARM) at the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Auditorium in Hyderabad on September 1, 2026. Dehari was nominated for the award by the Director of the ICAR-National Institute of Biotic Stress Management (ICAR-NIBSM), Raipur.
Dehari received the recognition for developing and commercialising a low-cost, energy-efficient egg incubator-cum-hatching machine designed for Kadaknath and other poultry breeds. The innovation enables farmers to undertake incubation and chick production at the farm level, thereby reducing dependence on commercial hatcheries and externally sourced chicks.
The locally fabricated machine has a capacity to incubate 800 eggs per batch and records an average hatchability of about 85 per cent. It incorporates a 120-watt heating element, thermostatic controller with a PT-100 temperature sensor, built-in humidifier, axial fan, timer switch and linear actuator for automatic egg turning. Compact, portable and user-friendly, the machine has been designed for efficient operation under rural conditions.
The innovation has received strong acceptance among farmers, with more than 54 machines sold and an estimated 230–450 farmers adopting the technology in Kanker and neighbouring districts. The technology has contributed to improved hatchability, chick production and survival rates while reducing farmers’ dependence on chicks sourced from outside the region.
The commercialisation of the innovation has also significantly improved Dehari’s income. His annual income increased from approximately Rs. 3–7 lakh before commercialisation to Rs. 18–24 lakh after commercialisation. Priced at around Rs. 60,000 per unit, the machine is considered suitable for small and medium poultry farmers as well as Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
The award was presented in the presence of eminent agricultural scientists and officials, including Padma Bhushan Dr. R.S. Paroda, Chairman, Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences and former Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, who was the Chief Guest. Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, chaired the function.
Dr. Yashpal Singh Malik, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Education), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, was the Guest of Honour, while Dr. Seema Jaggi, Additional Director General (Human Resource Development), Agricultural Education Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, was the Special Guest. Dr. Raman Meenakshi Sundaram, Director, ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad, along with distinguished representatives from various agricultural research and academic institutions, was also present.
On the occasion, the dignitaries launched the Farmers VAULT (Validation and Utility Log for Technologies) Portal, developed under the National Agricultural Science Fund project on “Agripreneurship for Sustainable Agricultural Development: Technological and Institutional Innovations and Strategies”. The portal was launched as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management.
The initiative has been supported and documented under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Agricultural Science Fund (ICAR-NASF) project being implemented in Chhattisgarh under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Pramod Kumar Rai, Director, ICAR-NIBSM, Raipur, with Dr. P. Mooventhan, Senior Scientist, serving as the Principal Investigator.
The recognition adds to Dehari’s earlier achievements, including the Krishi Ratna Award and Innovative Krishi Vaigyanik Award. His latest honour further highlights the potential of farmer-led innovation in developing affordable, energy-efficient technologies and promoting sustainable poultry-based livelihoods in rural areas.(s-pib)
