PROJECT AMAL
BY-KSHITIJ AND KAUSHIK
Shri Ram College of Commerce- University of Delhi, India
Pulkit Aghi - (The current president of SRCC Enactus) who was personally involved with the
implementation of Project Amal - helped us with the completion of the report.
1) Problem Statement-
A cost-effective and efficient agro-waste management system was urgently needed to cut carbon
emissions and elevate low-income people by providing them with cheaper alternatives.
There were two issues that needed to be addressed:
1. Agricultural waste that is burned or disposed of without proper treatment results in
pollution, nutrient loss from the soil, and death of various animals and plants. Each year,
the country produces over 500 million tonnes of crop residue, of which approximately 92
million tonnes are burned.
2. India generates 60% of its electricity from charcoal, a non-renewable [Link] of
charcoal releases a variety of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, including carbon
monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants.
2) Solution Provided-
● The students of SRCC had developed an innovative solution to the stubble burning
problem by converting it into value-added final products, rather than collecting stubble or
imposing fines, which puts marginalised farmers in an unfavourable position of either
revolting against the authorities or suffering a greater economic loss. Their whole process
was completely eco-friendly and no harmful gasses were released (as they would be
keeping the moisture content below 5%). Their charcoal offers stronger tensile strength
and calorific value than normal coal (lab verified). Also, their unit cost is as low as Rs. 20
per kilogramme, about 40% less than traditional coal, because of simple access to raw
materials and cost-effective technology.
3) Triple-Bottom-Line Impact :
Environmental-
● Agricultural waste processed - 222,500kgs.
● 460 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions were prevented.
● Prevented AQI from worsening from 120 to 1,500 in zones where the product completely
substituted charcoal (without taking into account the negative externalities).
Economic-
● Revenue Generated = $16000.
● Money saved on costs-= $12500.
● 150% increase in monthly income of employees.
● Reduction in expenditure on coal = 40% ( From an average of Rs.42kg to Rs.25/kg).
Social-
● Jobs created = 21
● 55 farmers empowered
● Was successful in spreading awareness about the hazardous effects of coal and stubble
burning
4) Target Community : The farmers of Karnal, Haryana.
5) Target Market-
Project Amal aims to immensely benefit its primary beneficiaries, the farmer community, by
generating a side income for them as well as alleviating the problem of stubble management.
They teach and empower our community members in their areas where they intervene so that the
farmers can carry out activities even when they are not present. Giving them the responsibility
for the initiative helps us in mobilising them to recognise the dangers of stubble burning.
6) Entrepreneurs : A supervisor and 21 rural entrepreneurs were employed. They were
responsible for the whole process and also ensured that the agro-waste was properly transformed
into viable products. The quality of the finished goods was also tested by them.
7) Collaborations:
● The students of SRCC collaborated with various Professors from reputed Institutes like
JNU, DU and ICAR CRIDA to get the technical know-how.
● They also collaborated with organizations like Knowledge Partners, Technology Partners
and Govt. Of Punjab.
8) Revenue Stream:
● From the agro-waste products such as smokeless biochar briquettes, biodegradable
cutlery and affordable construction material were made which accounted for the primary
source of revenue.
● High quality Char was also sold for ₹25/kg to board institutional clients like barbeque
nation, A2P energy, Smile NGO.
9) Costs Involved:
● They started by getting in touch with farmers, individually and through Follow on Public
offers (FPO’s) to maintain a sustainable supply chain. They formed an agreement with
the FPO to procure agro-waste against a minimal rate of Rs. 2/kg.
● The supervisor and 21 rural entrepreneurs were also given stipends/wages.
● The waste was transported to storage centers which increased the expenditure.
● Set up cost- A pyrolysis reactor was also set up to process the waste and turn them into a
viable product.
10) Limitations:
● The major limitation faced by them was that while implementing this project there was a
lack of technical knowledge. As they were all students from a Commerce background and
working on a project which has a major element of scientific knowledge in Product
Development was a challenge.
● Another challenge was to explain to the farmers the ill-effects of burning stubble and
persuading them to collect it instead of burning.
11) Future Prospects:
Project Amal aspires to be a sustainable agro-waste management organisation. They aim to guide
the farmer community into an arena where they can incorporate small and marginal farmers into
the biochar supply chain and generate rural employment opportunities. They strive to become a
one-stop solution to all agricultural waste problems.
12) Achievements:
● Recognized and appreciated by the Honourable Rural Development Minister of Punjab
for holistic impact.
● On-boarded 16 B2B institutional clients including Barbeque Nation and Eden Resorts.
● Funded by Milan Administration, an International Government Institution in Italy.
● Partnered with the Ministry of MSME to disburse ₹5 crores to 3000 farmer households in
Sangrur.
● Recognized as one of the Top 5 projects worldwide in Race for Climate Action by
Enactus.
