Local firm to receive US accolade

05 Sep 2018 2118 | Business & Trade Fairs

Local social enterprise Agri-Smart has been announced as one of the winners of the United States’ ‘Patent for Humanity’ award for the Eli Rice Seeder, a rice planting device designed and built in the Kingdom to reduce costs and improve yields.

The firm will collect the award during a ceremony in the US in November.

The award is the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) top honour and is given to inventors that patent game-changing innovations that address development challenges.

San Bunika, Agri-Smart’s managing director and leader of the team that designed the award-winning tool, said the Eli Rice Seeder uses direct seeding and uniform spacing to improve yields and reduce labour.

“High air pressure is used to shoot the seeds into the ground at a spacing of either 15 or 25 centimetres,” Mr Bunika said.

“The device potentially increases yields up to 20 percent while reducing cost on fertilizers and herbicides. It also allows the paddy to absorb more sunshine, while having better air circulation in the crop and reducing the incidence of pests and diseases,” he said, adding that it helps increase incomes for farmers and improves their livelihoods.

In addition, the device helps alleviate labour-shortage problems in farming since it allows farmers to plant a whole hectare in just 45 minutes, as opposed to the two hours that it would take by hand, Mr Bunika said.

“It helps farmers reduce seeding rates to 30-100 kilograms per hectare from 200-350kg when doing manual broadcasting,” he said, explaining that it can be attached to the popular two-wheel tractor.

He said the device sells for $940 a unit. It is often purchased by farming communities and shared among the members or rented out to others.

34 units have been sold so far in 15 provinces across the country, Mr Bunka said, highlighting the fact that they are manufactured in Cambodia with local labour and materials.

He said the company conducts demonstrations and trainings across the country and supports farmers after they purchase the product.

“We have also begun a partnership with the International Rice Research Institute to help spread the Eli Rice Seeder throughout Southeast Asia,” Mr Bunika said. The firm is now in the process of registering the product in relevant ministries to obtain a trademark, he added.