Thousands of examples from India and elsewhere have shown that the people at the grassroots, farmers, artisans, mechanics and the like have been relying on their own ingenuity to solve their local problems. In absence of an external aid, the only option left with them is to come up with their own solutions, which, in many cases, may be able to solve similar problems elsewhere.  Since time immemorial traditional communities have been optimally utilizing the available bio-resources for medicinal and other uses. The need is to properly identify such unique herbal practices and innovations, and document them. Apart from preserving bio-diversity and promoting the culture of creative thinking, such documentation serves another very important purpose, which is to preserve fast eroding knowledge about optimal use of bio-resources and of contemporary technological innovations. Scouting or looking for such knowledge/innovations is the first step towards attaining this goal and is undertaken to discover and recognize grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge practices from rural and urban areas. The nature of problems is different in these areas and so is the focus of innovations. But what is worthy of underlining is that even in most developed regions, urban fringe areas, slums and other places, viable and functional traditional knowledge and grassroots innovations can always be found. Local knowledge systems help in seeking solutions to such problems in a spontaneous manner individually or collectively.

 

PROCESS

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Expression of Interest (EOI) from Institution/organisations

For Scouting and Documentation of Grassroots Technological Innovations, Innovative Agricultural Practices and Outstanding Herbal Knowledge in field of Agriculture, Veterinary or Human Health

National Innovation Foundation- India (NIF),an autonomous body of Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, invites expression of Interest (EOI) from Indian Institution/organisations for undertaking Scouting and Documentation of Grassroots Technological Innovations, Innovative Agricultural Practices and Outstanding Herbal Knowledge in field of Agriculture, Veterinary or Human Health in different regions of the country. NIF provides institutional support to the grassroots innovators and outstanding traditional knowledge holders of the country by way of systematically scouting, documenting, filing patents, supporting prototyping, value addition, validation and diffusion (social or commercial). In order to penetrate deeper into the hinterlands and engage with more grassroots innovators, knowledge holders and communities, NIF is looking for partners across the country.

Eligibility criteria
The institution/organisation should be a registered Indian organisation with experience of science, technology, innovation based documentation and/or dissemination or any other activity of similar nature.

Screening Criteria
The institution/ organisation should have demonstrable competency in undertaking same/similar activities as evident through projects undertaken and credentials of core team members. The institutions/organisations with no related experience, those sharing incomplete or incorrect information, or those lacking demonstrable output, as reflected in documents shared with us, will not be considered.

Process
The interested institutions/organizations can submit their expression along with a suitability note and the work done in the field of innovation with the proposal. Examples of scouted innovations and traditional knowledge practices, if available, may also be attached.

All the proposals will be reviewed by the external Experts/ Project Review Committee for the recommendation. Proposals with clear objectives and deliverables with a commensurate budget will be selected. The same can be sent by mail (vivekkumar@nifindia.org, campaign@nifindia.org) or by post to the address mentioned below.

Dr Vivek Kumar
Scientist F
National Innovation Foundation - India
Amrapur, Gandhinagar-Mahudi Road
Gandhinagar, Gujarat-382650

 

 

Expression of Interest (EOI)

Internship programme

For Scouting and Documentation of Grassroots Innovations (GRIs)

National Innovation Foundation- India (NIF),an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, invites expression of Interest (EOI) from Students (Engineering/Science/Social Science background) for undertakingScouting and Documentationof Grassroots Innovations, and Innovative Agricultural Practices from different regions of the country. NIF provides institutional support to the grassroots innovators and outstanding traditional knowledge holders of the country by way of systematically scouting, documenting, filing patents, supporting prototyping, value addition, validation and diffusion (social or commercial).

This one to six months’ immersion internship program aims to identify and document innovative solutions from rural and urban India. This program offers a unique opportunity to work closely with local communities, innovators, and organizations that are driving change and making a positive impact in society. As an intern, you will have the chance to contribute to the documentation and promotion of these innovations while gaining valuable insights and skills. NIF is looking for enthusiastic interns who can work in distant field areas throughout the country.

Eligibility criteria

  • Students who are doing Graduation or Master Degree in Science, Engineering, Social Science, Development studies etc.
  • Strong passion for working in rural India for grassroots innovation, sustainable development, and social impact.
  • Excellent research, analytical, and documentation skills.
  • Ability to work independently and in a team, with good interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Proficiency in written and spoken English, local language of respective areas
  • Prior experience in fieldwork, community engagement, or social impact projects is preferable.

Application Process :

Selection Process :

  • Initial screening of applications based on qualifications, area of scouting, and alignment with program objectives.
  • Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview (online).
  • Final selection will be based on the interview performance and overall fit with the program.

Internship Roles and Responsibilities:

Orientation

An online/ offline (2 days) orientation will be given to the interns for scouting and documentation and understanding about innovations and the documentation formats.

Innovation Scouting:

  • Conduct research and field visits to identify innovative solutions at the grassroots level.
  • Engage with local communities, organizations and innovators to understand their challenges and opportunities.
  • Document identified innovations, plant varieties and practices through interviews, photographs, videos, in the prescribed format of NIF.

Documentation and Reporting:

  • At the end of month all documented innovations and practices have to be submitted along with the monthly report.

Benefits:

  • Amonthly stipend will be provided to cover the travel expenses, stationary, postage, etc.
  • Upon successful completion of the internship, a certificate will also be given.

National Innovation Foundation - India
Amrapur, Gandhinagar-Mahudi Road
Gandhinagar, Gujarat-382650

Email: campaign@nifindia.org, vivekkumar@nifindia.org

 

SCOUTING

Scouting means looking for creative indigenous ideas/innovations/traditional Knowledge.

Scouting of the innovations is the first step towards the fulfilment of the mission of NIF. The art of scouting involves the extensive fieldwork; travel in rural and urban areas, search for 'odd balls' the experimenter, local community and knowledge experts in the society. In order to achieve the scouting and documentation of the innovations the following activities are required:

  1. To coordinate with various governmental and non-governmental agencies to mount national campaign to scout innovations with the help of grassroots level functionaries.
  2. To screen, document and verify the claims about these innovations through various networks of scientific and other institutional initiatives as well as through Network collaborators, existing databases and field visits.
  3. To generate mechanisms for graduated incentives for innovators and involve them in scouting process itself.
  4. To provide assistance in forging decentralized networks of inventors/knowledge experts and strengthen the NIF Network.
  5. To obtain Prior Informed Consent (PIC) of the providers of knowledge.
  6. To share the innovations permitted in public domain with the knowledge providers through NIF newsletter and other media to enrich the repertoire of the local communities and informal knowledge experts.

METHODOLOGY

Scouting involves extensive fieldwork to search for experimenters and knowledge experts in local communities. The scouting of innovations and traditional knowledge has traditionally been achieved through the following modes.

Seeking

Through the following means NIF actively attempts to look for innovations and traditional knowledge practices/grassroots innovations. Various means are used, which are mentioned as below.

a) National Campaigns: NIF organizes national level biennial campaign for scouting grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge. The national campaign is a means to build solidarity among creative people, by unfolding the potential of genius at grassroots.So far NIF has organized thirteen national biennial campaigns and the fourteenth one is currently going on. Entries are solicited from innovators and knowledge holders for their innovations and traditional knowledge practices. Entries received by NIF are screened for their possible validity, uniqueness, potential social impact, and creativity or embedded valuable traditional knowledge. The selected entries are evaluated with the help of group of experts. NIF extends the support for prototype development and scaling up depending upon the social criticality, potential impact, eco-friendliness, and economic condition of the innovator, potential for value addition through linkage with science and technology institutions and prospects of diffusion through commercial and non-commercial channel.

b) Field researchers and scouts: Involving field researchers and scouts in the scouting and documentation of grassroots innovation and outstanding traditional knowledge is crucial for preserving and promoting cultural heritage and practical ingenuity. Field researchers, often deeply embedded within local communities, possess intimate knowledge of the societal and environmental contexts in which these innovations arise. Their roles extend beyond mere observation; they engage directly with innovators, building trust and facilitating the sharing of knowledge. Scouts, on the other hand, act as the eyes and ears on the ground, actively seeking out unique practices and technologies that might otherwise go unnoticed. Their proactive approach ensures a comprehensive documentation process, capturing the nuances and subtleties of traditional knowledge. Together, these roles create a dynamic system that not only documents but also validates and disseminates grassroots innovations, ensuring that valuable knowledge is recognized, preserved, and utilized for broader societal benefit. This collaborative effort helps bridge the gap between local wisdom and broader scientific and technological communities, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable approach to innovation.

c) Shodh Camp: It serves as a platform for scouting grassroots innovation and traditional knowledge within communities. By fostering collaboration and dialogue among various stakeholders, the camp enables the sharing of valuable insights and practices. This not only helps in documenting and preserving indigenous knowledge but also in promoting sustainable development through the integration of traditional wisdom with modern technological advancements. Shodh Camp plays a crucial role in recognizing the expertise and innovative solutions that exist at the grassroots level, ultimately contributing to the growth and empowerment of communities.

d) Involving the Media: Interested journalists are identified and persuaded to publish articles on grassroots innovations and innovators. Many newspapers and magazines also write about the innovations and traditional knowledge scouted and recognized by NIF. It has been a mandate of NIF to bring together various stakeholders on a common platform in the mission of giving visibility and creating a market for grassroots Innovations. Many other times regional newspapers and magazines publish stories of people who have done something 'different' and have attracted the attention of others. NIF identify such interesting leads and tries to get complete information though local scouts, resource persons, volunteers, etc. Apart from these initiatives, advertisements are regularly issued for the national campaigns in all the major newspapers of the country in different states. The newspapers are selected on the basis of approximate circulation in different regions and languages. Special attention is given to local language/vernacular press targeting the rural pockets of each State rather than mainly the urban areas.

e) Identifying other interested networks and involving them in scouting and documentation: NIF has initiated steps to identify similar networks in different parts of the scout to involve them in scouting and documentation activities.

Receiving

a) Through the Network: NIF has built the large network of institutions/ organisations over the years for identifying such local geniuses from all over the country. NIF has tried several methods to scout and document grassroots innovations and TK from various parts of the country and these methods include publication of local language posters, organizing workshops of innovators and volunteers, network members, local press conferences, arranging the visit of staff/volunteers in villages in search of innovators and knowledge holders etc. The network collaborators, scouts and coordinators help to reach interiors regions and remote areas in search of innovations.

b) Through Innovators: Many of our innovators themselves start looking for other people like them and encourage them to submit their innovations/traditional knowledge practices to NIF. This in turn contributes to the growth and strengthening of the NIF innovators network. It also helps in spreading the message as the word of mouth is the best form of information dissemination.

c) Electronic submission:  Understanding the tremendous potential of information and communication technology in furthering the cause of grassroots innovators, NIF has taken special efforts to use it for scouting purposes also. We receive quite a few entries through these websites (www.nif.org.in) as well along with emails addressed to campaign@nifindia.org and info.nif@nifindia.org

d) Postal submissions: NIF also receives many entries through regular mail (post) at head quarter and various regional offices.

Collecting

a) Through survey of odd balls in villages by students: Students from different universities and colleges are sensitized about the need to scout and document grassroots innovations, knowledge and explore their potential for development of a community. The possible benefits are also shared such as award/recognition at national level, business development, ability to learn from each other, generating low cost solutions to persistent problems etc. They are encouraged to appreciate the innovations created by their family members and neighbours in the village to begin with. They are also asked to narrate some of their own experiences, which are interesting, intriguing and/or inspiring. These students are then motivated to scout such innovations/TK from their respective regions. By underlining what is relevant for the search, students are given examples based on their own experience. When outsiders (some times more educated and expert in specific field of knowledge) share in a humble and honest manner that some of the insights shared by students were not known to them, it reinforces the self-confidence of young explorers. They are given orientation about the richness of local knowledge/innovation domains, and are trained in scouting and documenting innovations. In the whole process, while listening to their experiences, efforts are made to convey to them precisely what kind of practices they should look for and how to identify traditional knowledge/grassroots innovations.

b) Agricultural, cultural fairs, festivals and exhibitions: Fairs are vibrant traditional institutions, where people assemble in large numbers, either for religious or cultural celebrations. This platform is used for scouting and disseminating. Many farmers, artisans, community leaders and professionals visit the stalls and get information about the innovations developed by other farmers. While accessing this knowledge base, they also share their own innovations with network members. Some of the common platforms of such kind have been the organic hats (open markets akin to weekly rural markets) organized as part of the traditional food festival. Farmers from different parts of the country display/ sell and share with people their knowledge about 'not so popular' food grains and millets.

c) Scouting Internships: Internship schemes has been started for students to enable them to go to their field and collect traditional knowledge practices and innovations. This Internships covers their travel expenses, stationary and packaging and forwarding of the data collected. They are provided all the necessary guidance from NIF.

DOCUMENTATION

A) Preliminary documentation:

Whatever may be the source of the information (directly from the innovator, through a scout, through media or other channels), the preliminary document may generally contain the innovator's name, address, contact number, educational qualifications, occupation and the description of the innovation and the details of the traditional knowledge. Further, samples of plants/herbs, exact methodology, etc., may not be available with the preliminary documents as these are mostly from the grassroots herbal healers. However, in many cases even basic information is not available. In the case of herbal knowledge, local name may be mentioned. Thus, further investigation cannot be done till herbarium specimen is collected and authenticated.

B) Verification of practices and secondary documentation :

All the necessary details are collected from the innovator/traditional knowledge holder. This is followed by a field visit by a team member where all the details including samples of plants, their local names, quantity/proportion of ingredients, method of preparation, symptoms of the diseases, precautions if any, dosage, photographs, videos, etc. are collected. All verified practices are stored physically as well as digitally in an electronic database. It is absolutely necessary, that detailed documentation may be done with the help of people who understand technologies from different disciplines, i.e., technically specialized persons.

C) Tertiary documentation:

Another round of documentation by a team member may be needed to further the understanding about the traditional knowledge practice or document the modifications done by the herbal healer over a period of time.

PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT

Prior Informed Consent (PIC) - Taking consent of the Knowledge Providers: an ethical imperative:
The purpose to obtain the PIC from grassroots innovators/traditional knowledge holders (henceforth innovator) is to get the authorization from the innovators to enable NIF to work for, and on behalf of them, as per the choices selected by the innovator in the PIC. Another purpose of the PIC is to create trust and reciprocity between the innovator and NIF, member institutions or agencies responsible for building value chain around green grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge. 

To the best extent possible, NIF uses the PIC form in local language of innovators to seek their written consent and choice of conditions for dissemination and value addition of their products/process/idea. Innovators may decide from among the options for scaling up their technology through commercial or non-commercial means or any other preference they may have. It is realized that many innovators cannot read the PIC. In such cases, video PIC has to be taken. When an entry is short listed for any particular purpose, say value addition or research and development or business development, the PIC provides the framework of disclosure of the technology to the third party or taking up any further work, especially in those cases where innovator is inaccessible or could not be contacted. In addition, PIC helps in enforcing the accountability of formal institutions towards the knowledge providers (individuals and community) and grassroots innovators.
a) Why? : Sharing of knowledge is a voluntary act and the participation has to be informed, both verbal and written, in a way that is understandable by the innovator. It is mandatory on the part of the data collector to explain the purpose of the exercise, in written, verbal way and video documentation.

b) What? : Using the PIC note, every clause of the PIC form should be explained to the innovator and then his replies entered on the PIC form to enable the organisation to know, based on the innovator's preferences, what exactly can be done with the provided knowledge.

c) How? : The advanced stage PIC form should clearly define the way benefit sharing is desired by the innovator if the organisation goes ahead with a possible business development plan of his innovation. Clear explanation should be given to the innovator for all the options and then his preferences noted down.

PIC Explanatory Note for Traditional Knowledge
PIC Explanatory Note for Technological Innovations and Ideas
PIC Traditional Knowledge
PIC Technological Innovations and Ideas

Reference Material

1.National Biennial Campaign Announcement
2.Prior Informed Consent Form – Idea and Innovation English
3.Prior Informed Consent Form – Idea and Innovation Hindi
4.Prior Information Consent Form – Traditional Knowledge English
5.Prior Information Consent Form – Traditional Knowledge Hindi

PROJECTS

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PUBLICATIONS

Shekh, M. R., Ahmed, N., & Kumar, V. (2024). A Review of the Occurrence of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Potential Treatments through Medicinal Plants from an Indian Perspective. Current Rheumatology Reviews, 20(3), 241–269. https://doi.org/10.2174/0115733971268416231116184056

Patel, K., Kumar, V., Pant, V., & Ravikumar, R. K. (2023). Biological, nutritional, and therapeutic significance of Grewia flavescens Juss. Medicinal Plants-International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries, 15(4), 636-644. [NAAS IF: 5.25]

Quadri, S., Pant, V., & Kumar, V. (2023). An introduction to ethnomedicinal and pharmacological activity of Capparissepiaria L. In National Innovation Foundation, The Pharma Innovation Journal, 12 (9), 14–20.

Nitin Maurya, Vivek Kumar, Augustus Suting, WankitSwer, GenavafaBehphat and Vipin Kumar(2023). Conserving a Creative Living Tradition-The Living Root Bridges of North East India. London Journal of Research In Science: Natural and Formal, 23(19), 1-8.

Sethiya, N. K., Ahmed, N. M., Shekh, R. M., Kumar, V., Singh, P. K., & Kumar, V. (2018). Ethnomedicinal, phytochemical and pharmacological updates on Hygrophila auriculata (Schum.) Hiene: an overview. Journal of Integrative Medicine, 16(5), 299-311.

P K Singh, V Kumar and V Kumar (2017). Protection of Traditional knowledge and benefit sharing arrangements. In Methods and Approaches in Ethnobotany (Concepts, Practices and Prospects)eds (DrVartika Jain and Dr S K Jain).2017. 110-118.

Panara, K., Singh, P. K., Rawat, P., Kumar, V., Maruf, M., Patel, K., Ravikumar, R.K. & Kumar, V. (2016). Importance of Alangium salviifolium and its pharmacological update. European Journal of Medicinal Plants, 12(4), 1-15. [NAAS IF: 4.89]

8. Gupta, A. K., Dey, A. R., Shinde, C., Mahanta, H., Patel, C., Patel, R., Sahay, N., Sahu, B., Vivekanandan, P., Verma, S., Ganesham, P., Kumar, V., Kumar, V., Patel, M., &Tole, P. (2016). Theory of open inclusive innovation for reciprocal, responsive and respectful outcomes: coping creatively with climatic and institutional risks. Journal of Open Innovation, 2(3), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40852-016-0038-8

Singh, P. K., Kumar, V., Maurya, N., Choudhary, H., Kumar, V., & Gupta, A. K. (2014). Grassroots solutions to overcome abiotic and biotic environmental stress in agriculture. In Translational research in environmental and occupational stress (pp. 11-16). New Delhi: Springer India.

Patel, K., Kumar, V., Singh, P. K., & Kumar, V. (2014). Phytochemistry and pharmacology of Abies pindrow (Royle ex D. Don) Royle: A Review. Pharmgene, 2, 36-39.

Articles

Vivek Kumar (2017). Rashtriya Navpravartan Pratishthan- Bharat-ekrachnatmak, sahyogiaursavedansheelbharatkenirmankiaur. Namami Devi Aanadini Smarika Govt of MP. Jan 2017. (in Hindi)