Government of
India
Ministry of
Science and Technology
Department of
Science and Technology
Challenges
and Opportunities to work for Mountain Community: TIMELEARN Programme Invitation
for Expression of Interest(EOI) under “Technology Intervention for Mountain
Ecosystems (TIME): Livelihood Enhancement through Action Research & Networking
(LEARN)” Programme
1.0 Background
The
resources in The North-Western Himalayan region states namely Uttarakhand,
Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are under increasing pressure and the livelihood
options besides agriculture are often limited. The mountain communities in this
region are facing new challenges in agriculture, forest use and conservation,
water resource management, energy access and services, women’s health and
nutritional care, and technologies for productive application.
There
exist technologies that could address some of the challenges being faced by the
fragile mountain communities and bring in improvement in their quality of life.
However, it has been felt that mere availability of technologies is not
sufficient and progressively need for a complete eco-system for development,
adaptation and sustainable absorption of people centric appropriate
technologies that lead to overall socio economic development of the region in
an environmentally sustainable manner.
In
the aforementioned background, the Department of Science and Technology (DST)
plans to launch a “Technology Intervention for Mountain Ecosystems (TIME):
Livelihood Enhancement through Action Research & Networking (LEARN)”
programme for the 12th five year plan period. TIME-LEARN aims at providing
science and technology based solutions for over-all socio-economic growth of
the mountain communities living in the North-Western
Himalayan
region states. In its initial phase, the programme seeks to address rural livelihood,
conservation and vulnerability issues through appropriate technological interventions
that leads to increased traditional farm production, use of clean energy, value
addition of agro-horticulture produce, disaster proof low cost construction
technologies etc.
It
aims at developing scalable technological solutions that have replication
potential and could be adopted by the mountain communities. The focus will be
on bottom up approach thereby involving institutions located in the region and
organizations and scientific groups’.
Under
TIME-LEARN an Umbrella programme, Expression of Interest (EOI) are invited to undertake
open source innovations & action research interventions for enhanced
livelihood opportunities, improved health of the communities, reduced
vulnerability and drudgery etc that result in overall improvement in the
quality of life of the mountain communities of the region. The proposed
intervention shall be innovative and could include adaptive R&D, upscaling,
up gradation/modulation and field testing of available technology and
development of viable and affordable technology package(s) with workable
delivery mechanism under field conditions. TIME-LEARN programme will encourage
and provide platform for synergistic partnerships amongst technology providers
and programme implementing organizations to work with the identified
communities and evolve appropriate technology models and practices for
effective technology development and delivery in participatory mode at the
grassroots level.
2.0 Eligibility
and Conditions for Support: Who Can Apply?
Expression
of Interest (EOI) is sought from consortia of academic/R&D institutions;
State Government Organizations (Technology & Innovation Centres and
Incubators) in collaboration of S & T based voluntary organizations. In
case of voluntary organizations, it is mandatory that they tie up with
technology providing S&T institution to be eligible for
incremental/adaptive R & D and developing/field testing and transfer of
complete technology package (consent letter to be attached with EOI). The
organization shall have demonstrated capability and understanding of the
intervention they are proposing for the mountain communities. Advisory for
submitting EOI under TIME-LEARN Programme is enclosed at Annexure I.
3.0 Thematic
Areas of Interventions:
In
July 2013, the Department of Science and Technology organized a consultative
workshop for major institutions and organization working in the North-Western
Himalayan region states. In the workshop following focused themes were
identified under which EOI with novel concept and technological solutions can
be submitted to promote and nurture innovation action research through
networking mode:
1.
Enhancing quality of life (Generic but innovative technology solutions)
-
Household energy for cooking, lighting, and space heating purposes- focus on clean
and sustainable energy solutions
-
Sustainable energy packages for productive applications
-
Small scale energy efficient devices
-
Entrepreneurship development including in fabrication, repair and maintenance
of the energy systems and in other productive applications
-
Hygiene and sanitation
-
Food processing with quality control of niche products including
bio-fortification (including micro-nutrient enhancement) from primary
agricultural products.
2.
Occupational Health and Malnutrition
-
Location specific agricultural occupation health issues – Load carrying (Fuel wood
and Fodder), Drudgery reducing technologies
-
Documentation, scientific validation, improvement and promotion of traditional foods-underutilized
vegetables, fruits and crops.
3.
Water Management in Himalayas
-
Harvesting, storage, recharging and efficient utilization
-
Affordable water purification
4.
Agriculture and Horticulture
-
Production of quality seeds and planting material
-
Technology Intervention for unique agriculture produce including storage, conservation,
characterization and protection of unique land races of niche crops/farmers
varieties, selection, processing and packaging
-
Protected cultivation
-
Pollination management: Pollinators and pollenizers in crop plants; Bee-keeping
5.
Agriculture Mechanization
-
Machinery and implements
-
Drudgery reducing technologies and tools
6.Eco-friendly,
Climate Sensitive Habitat Management
-
Upgradation of traditional knowledge and capacity building
-
Multi hazard resistant construction technologies using local available
resources including their demonstration
7.Livelihood
options based on Non Wood Forest Products
-
Bio prospecting
-
Sustainable harvesting
-
Value addition and increasing shelf life
8.
Fodder and Livestock Management
-
Sustainable Management Practices
-
Production of quality seed and planting material
-
Breed Improvement
-
Small animal husbandry and fishery
-
Value addition of animal products
9.
Eco-Restoration & Sustenance of Himalayan Ecosystem
-
Technologies on micro watersheds/landscapes covering land, water and forests-
Invasive Species Control & Management: Local and commercial utilization through
value addition; Pasture, grass and wet land management
-
Agriculture rehabilitation & enhanced livelihood options with primary and secondary
value addition to forest/farm products with backward and forward linkages-
specific to the area/region linked to farm and non-farm activities with up-scaling
(especially for recent flood affected and landslide areas of Uttarakhand)
10.
Technologies focusing Non-farm Sectors
-
Handicrafts (Niche products)
-
Rural Transportation
-
River ropeway
-
Rural artisan technologies
-
Eco Tourism and eco system services
11.
Addressing Human Wild Life Conflict (Location specific) – As an activity of the
project in above mentioned areas.
12.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for decision support services
covering above mentioned area(s).
4.0 How to Apply?
The EOI1
i.
Organization(s) profile in narrative form – contact details, strengths,
constitution/ ownership, manpower, infrastructure, offices, registration and
area of core competence, institutional linkages etc;
should
specifically provide the following details: Title, Type of project:
collaborative
individual/integrated cluster development approach from above mentioned thematic
area(s), focused objectives(3-4), novelty in term of S & T components, area
to be covered under the project, likely beneficiaries, partner organizations
(Institutions & field agencies), expected deliverables and exit plan.
Participation of the user group in identifying and providing technological
solutions would need to be ensured. EOI for networked projects and
collaborative proposals involving field agencies and institutes are encouraged.
In
addition EOI shall provide the following (2 pages only):-
ii.
Details of relevant experience including list of projects(last 5 yrs.), costs
and description (brief-in tabular format);
iii.
Short CVs (not exceeding half pages per CV) of the key personnel expected to be
deployed in the assignment; and
iv.
Capability statement, illustrating the skills and experience in undertaking the
proposed activity.
The
minimum font size used in EOI should be 11 point.
5.0 Funding
Support:
Grant-in-aid
of an appropriate scale may be made available for a period of 2-3 years project
cycle depending upon suitability/acceptability of the concept idea and
subsequent approval of the proposal through screening and selection process
mechanism of the department.
6.0 Review
Process & Evaluation
EOI
will be put through a screening process and short listed organizations will be
invited to submit full proposals. The proposals will be evaluated by the
Technical Advisory Group.
7.0 Submission
of EOI and Deadline
Expression
of Interest (EOI) should be E-mailed to Dr. Sunil K. Agarwal at Email: skagr99time@gmail.com as an attachment only in MS word format on or before 26th
September, 2013. The subject of the message will be:
“TIME-LEARN Programme”.
CONTACT:
Dr.
Sunil K. Agarwal
Scientist
& In-Charge: TIME-LEARN Programme,
Science
for Equity, Empowerment & Development Division (SEED),
Department
of Science & Technology,
Technology
Bhawan, New Mehrauli Road,
New
Delhi–110016
(E-Mail:
skagr99time@gmail.com; Ph. 011- 26590301) may be contacted for any
Questions /queries relating to expression under TIME-LEARN Programme
For
more details visit: http://www.dst.gov.in/whats_new/whats_new13/TIME.%20Final.EOI.2013.pdf
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