Publication Type : Conference Paper
Publisher : IEEEXplore
Source : 2020 IEEE R10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC)
Url : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9356975
Keywords : Human Centered Design, Cardamom dryer, Sustainable livelihood, Income generation, Rural India, Live-in-Labs®
Campus : Amritapuri
School : School for Sustainable Futures
Center : Amrita Center for Wireless Networks and Applications (AmritaWNA)
Department : Sustainable Development
Year : 2020
Abstract : Technology deployed in an eco-friendly and a user-centric approach affords an expedient means of augmenting the livelihood of people. Remote outlying areas in India face high discrepancies of income, evidenced by the prudent application of applied technology. The present study, uses the tenets of Human Centered Design, to investigate the application of technology towards addressing the challenges of income disparities in a remote tribal village of Kerala, South India. Primary data was collected to assess the natural resources, the current income generating activities, and the experience of the villagers in order to find ways to improve their livelihood. A cost-effective sustainable Cardamom dryer is proposed as an incremental technical solution to improve the process of cardamom farming, which was found central in the villagers' livelihood.