COCONUT FIBRE (COIR) BASED LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMME
Coir is one of the traditional cottage industries of Kerala. Coir (rope/yarn) is the main product from coconut fibre. Generally, coconut husk (meso) is not being used for fibre extraction as did before. Thousands of coconut husk are being wasted which is fibre rich and potential for extraction and productive use. Local farmers have no skills in fibre extraction and its value addition. No technology is adopted in the area for fibre extraction, spinning, and value addition. Traditional method of defibering is hazardous job and less productive. So mechanization is the gap found for coconut fibre extraction, spinning, and value addition.
We developed a program to utilize the locally available coconut husk for income generation for
local women with the support of the Department of Science &Technology, Govt. of India. The
overall objective is to revive traditional coconut fibre industry through application of appropriate
technologies.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COMPONENT
We have deployed the defibering technology in the program. A Coconut Fiber Extractor is introduced to extract fiber from coconut husk. It is powered with 10 HP motor and having the capacity of defibering 600 husk per hour.
Mitraniketan Rural Technology Centre has fabricated a Coconut Fibre Extractor with the technology from Central Coir Research Institute (CCRI). It is low cost as we spent only Rs 80,000 in place of Rs. 1,60,000 in the market. Now we are in a position to supply the machine on demand to entrepreneurs at a low cost.
In addition, we have deployed Electronic Spinning Ratt for spinning fiber into yarn (coir). This is also a latest technology in place of cycle wheel ratt traditionally used. Also, deployed weaving frames for making different coir mats/ value added products.
As by product, we have utilized the coir pith (dust from fiber) for making organic compost with pleurotus (fungus) and urea.
Scientific capacity of local women is built in using the above technologies over the three year period (2017-2020).
Value added products made, Innovation done in the existing Technologies.
- Coir Foot Mat
- Coir bags
- Hammock
- Coir woven garden chairs
- Scrutine filter mat (Round mat with filter) for olive oil extraction
- Coir pith compost
- Coir based handicrafts
The program is able to revive the traditional cottage industry (coir) using the natural resources available from coconut tree in this project area (target villages). The project built the capacity of 90 women through a mechanized coconut defibering system leading to utilization locally available and unused coconut husk. A Nodal centre is established at Mitraniketan under the programme for Training and production. It is also functions as a Common Facility Centre (CFC) for the workers.