Deployment of IoT Based Cooling Chamber at Surangal Village

Cultivation of vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, contributes a significant part of the economy for farmers in many villages of Telangana. After harvesting all the vegetables, farmers transport them to the nearby markets. Due to the short edible time of most vegetables, farmers are forced to transport them to the market the same day they have been harvested. This collective challenge faced by most farmers results in all the vegetables being transported to the market the same day, thus reducing demand for the vegetables. The reduction in demand leads to a drop in selling prices, resulting in low income for the farmers. Farmers sometimes throw away the vegetables as the transportation charges to the market are higher than the profits gained. The farmers currently have no facility to store the vegetables and sell them in the market at a reasonable price. If a storage facility is available, the farmer can store some vegetables and transport them to the market when they offer the best price. For this purpose, an IoT-based cooling chamber is proposed. IoT-based energy Void Cooling Chamber is based on the simple principle of evaporative cooling. Evaporative cooling occurs when air is blown away from wet surfaces which are not saturated with water vapor. An evaporative cooler consists of a bed which is wet and porous where air is allowed, cooled and humidified by evaporating water. It is called an Energy Void because it doesn't require any source of electric power for operation and materiais required to design the chamber are easily available with low cost. It is very easy to install in a small place also. IoT can be used along with the chamber to monitor the humidity and temperature levels inside the chamber; that is, humidity and temperature will be controlled automatically by using IoT. Surangal village has witnessed a groundbreaking innovation with the implementation of an IoT-based cooling chamber designed to help farmers preserve perishable produce and reduce post-harvest losses. This eco-friendly, electricity-free cooling system utilizes natural evaporative cooling and IoT-based monitoring to extend the shelf life of crops like leafy vegetables, carrots, and tomatoes, allowing farmers to sell their produce at better market prices. The innovation was led by B. Lingam, with guidance from Samyuktha Penta, Head of the Center for Innovation and Social Transformation (CIST). The project was made possible through the visionary leadership and support of Dr. Rohit Kandakatla, Director, KGRCET, and funding assistance from the Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC). By addressing the storage challenges faced by small-scale farmers, this initiative is set to improve economic stability in rural communities and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Encouraged by its success, KGRCET aims to expand this model to more villages, creating a scalable and impactful solution for the farming sector. It was deployed successfully on 07-03-2025. Brigadier Ganesham, President Palle Srujana, and Miraj, CIO-TGIC, attended the deployment ceremony and explained the benefits of the project to the village farmers. The farmers from the village attended the ceremony and felt happy to use the innovation.