Design Interventions in Farm Equipment for Indian Small Farmers

<p dir="ltr">This thesis investigates the challenges confronting small and marginal Indian farmers, emphasizing the inefficiency of traditional farming tools and the lack of intermediate technology. Utilizing a design studio-based research approach, it explores vernacular rather than purely visceral interventions to enhance farm productivity, incorporating industrial design, simple technology, and human-centred design principles. It identifies design drivers through tool analysis, observations, prototyping, and interviews. The contribution lies in a highly novel approach to innovating in this product category: a design framework for creating context-specific, human-centred farm equipment, addressing livelihood and food security concerns. And an example artefact, a portable, human-powered rice thresher.</p>