Gadag, Karnataka – April 4, 2026: In a remarkable story of grassroots innovation, 42-year-old farmer Ramesh Patil from Gadag district has won the National Grassroots Innovation Award for developing an affordable automatic drip irrigation system that reduces water usage by up to 60%.
Patil, who owns a 5-acre farm growing cotton and groundnut, created the device using locally available materials like old PVC pipes, sensors from discarded mobile phones, and a simple solar-powered motor. The entire system costs less than ₹8,000, making it accessible to small and marginal farmers in the drought-prone North Karnataka region.
Speaking to reporters, Patil said, “Water scarcity has always been our biggest challenge. I wanted something simple that even my neighbors could maintain without depending on expensive imported technology.”
The device automatically detects soil moisture levels and releases water only when needed, preventing both over-irrigation and wastage. Agricultural scientists from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, who tested the prototype, confirmed that it not only saves water but also improves crop yield by 15-20% due to better root health.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare praised the innovation during the award ceremony held in New Delhi yesterday, calling it “a perfect example of Atmanirbhar Bharat in agriculture.”
Patil plans to train 500 farmers in Gadag and neighboring districts in the coming months. A local startup has also shown interest in manufacturing the device on a larger scale.
This success story comes at a time when Karnataka is facing repeated droughts, highlighting how individual innovation can offer practical solutions to climate challenges.