Project 001.2 (completed)
Purchase of HTV-001 for Prabhavi Resources Centre
What did my donation go towards?
Purchase and donation to Prabhavi Resources Centre of an innovative paddy rice harvester. Prabhavi hires out the harvester to local farmers as an income generating mechanism to support its library and information technology centre.
Who did 001 partner with?
001 worked with Prabhavi Resources Centre, a certified charity under Sri Lankan legislation with over 100 active members. Prabhavi is based in the small village of Weranketagoda, 300km from Colombo in the eastern province of Ampara.
Prabhavi has been operating since 2003 when it re-developed an unused government building for use as a community library and computer-learning centre. Around one thousand families including thousands of school children benefit from the resource centre as the village is situated 17 km from the next closest library.
Revenue derived from hire of the harvester is used for purchasing library books and upgrading computers for the Centre.
What is an HTV-001?
The HTV-001 is an innovative mobile power-driven agricultural machine that can be used to harvest rice paddies, thresh harvested plants in order to separate the seeds from the rest of the plant and collect the rice into sacks. It is the first locally manufactured machine which can be coupled to a hand tractor for combine harvesting of paddy fields.
The advantages of the HTV-001 include:
- locally made and serviced
- lower capital expenditure than conventional harvesters
- easily employed to harvest in very small plots
- unique device that sprays the rice storks evenly across the paddy field during cultivation which insures organic matter is spread across the field
Who implemented the project?
The HTV was manufactured at Technofarm Industries, a small agricultural manufacturing business located in Weranketagoda, Ampara province. Ben Cole and Stephanie and Richard Moore met with the owner of Technofarm, Mr Kumarasiri Mohotti and inspected an initial HTV-001 prototype. Mr Mohitti was keen to produce a second HTV-001 and was pleased to work with 001 and Prabhavi to produce the second prototype.
Prabhavi Resources Centre appointed a small staff to manage the rental and maintenance of the HTV-001 and to allocate income to the Centre’s community building projects.
What was 001’s financial support?
The cost of the HTV-001 was SLR130, 000, which at the time of donation was equivalent to US$1300.
Who is evaluating the project?
At the completion of the first paddy season, Prabhavi provided a report summarising the use of the harvester and revenue generated. Funds generated were used to purchase nine computer monitors for Prabhavi’s information technology and resource centre. Prabhavi maintains ongoing contact with 001, communicating outcomes and results of the support we have provided.