Kotak Mahindra Bank: Conversion Of Rice Husk To Value Added Products
To scale-up the production of amorphous silica and cellulose from rice husk/stubble and mature the technology
In the heart of India’s rice belt, a remarkable transformation is taking place. Marginal farmers, burdened by the problem of excess rice husk, often resort to burning it, contributing to severe air pollution. But now, a visionary project is aiming to turn this waste into wealth through a strategic collaboration between CSR of Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bhubaneswar City Cluster & KIIT-TBI facilitated by the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
The team embarked on an ambitious mission to build a semi-pilot plant capable of processing 200 kilograms of rice husk per day. Starting with small-scale lab experiments, they scaled up to 140 kilograms per day, producing valuable biogenic silica and micro-cellulose. These byproducts are not only environmentally friendly but also promise to generate over 8 lakh rupees annually and benefit financially to marginal farmers. The project is also helping at least 1 Rice mill to partly manage large volumes of Rice husk storage overload.
Local farmers have already benefited by using the effluents for vegetable cultivation, with plans to extend this to more farmers. The project is now set to help rice mills manage husk overloads, financially uplift farmers, and significantly reduce air pollution. This innovative journey from waste to wealth is transforming the future of India’s agriculture, proving that with the right vision, challenges can become opportunities.
i. Two farmers were benefitted from supply of the Effluent generated at the facility and have shown interest in collecting a part of the effluent generated at our facility.
ii. One of the nearby rice mill has benefitted monetarily as well as environmentally (from disposal of a marginal part of the rice husk generated at their facility) from procurement of rice husk from them.
iii. One local youth employed on contract basis for supporting the scale up activities of rice husk processing.
Key Achievements of the Project
Preliminary scale-up trial run at 70% capacity (140kg rice husk processing) was completed at the relocated site at Pandra, Bhubaneswar with yields of 65 kg cellulose and 18.2 kg amorphous silica.
Scale up trial experiment to be repeated at 70% of capacity (140 kg rice husk processing) rice husk processing, which shall be initiated shortly.
Planned for 100% capacity (200 kg rice husk processing) scale up trial
Part of the effluent has been supplied to few farmers for application in agriculture as a soil nutrient, with positive feedback.
Rice husk has been purchased from a nearby rice mill for the scale up experiments.
Some farmers have also benefitted marginally from the supply of chaff/husk and significant impact is expected when process scale-up will be initiated shortly and operated on regular basis.
A Local youth has been hired on contract basis for assisting in conducting scale up experiments.
