with a view to ensure the sustainable income for the rural people, the TNBRD has taken initiative by establishing mushroom production unit at different villages in Thiruvannamalai and Villuppuram district. Inspired by the easy method of production and being exposed to extension interventions made by TNBRD, the beneficiaries have started practicing mushroom production. As a result, it is found that the people can harvest 75 kg mushroom from the unit size of 120 sq.ft in a single cycle and as stated by majority of people that an average income of Rs.12000/- per month obtained from a single unit.
The TNBRD acquired the technology of Vegetables special for the benefit of vegetable growers in the district. It is a micronutrient formulation developed at Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR), Bangalore for combating the deficiency of micro nutrient occurring in vegetable crops. At present the TNBRD established a production unit for the production of vegetable special and it is being supplied to the farmers. Most of the vegetables growers reported that the spray of vegetable special is found to enhance the yield of vegetables by 10-20 % and it also improves the quality of vegetables resulted in better market price
To enhance the quality of banana and improve the income of the banana growers, the TNBRD conducted demonstrations on usage of bunch covers in banana in Arni and Polur taluks of Thiruvannamalai district. The results revealed that the quality of bananas were considerably improved i.e. uniform fruit size, free from dots and blemishes and improved colour. As a result, the banana growers obtained 20-30 % increase in market price for their produce. In addition to quality the productivity of banana also increased due to adoption of bunch covering.
As paddy is occupied major area under cultivation in Thiruvannamalai district, the farmers facing severe problems of labour shortage to carry out the agriculture activates. By keeping view, the TNBRD implemented paddy cultivation by selecting a group of progressive farmers of Arni and Polur taluks utilizing all the machineries used for paddy cultivation, i.e. starting from drum seeder for sowing, cono weeder for weeding, paddy harvester and thresher. By using of machineries considerably reduced the man power against the different activities in paddy production and the TNBRD also made linkages with the department of Agricultural engineering to the group of farmers to avail all the facilities introduced by the department time to time.
In today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape, digital transformation has become central to enhancing efficiency, reliability, and sustainability across power utilities worldwide. For Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Research Division (TNBRD), integrating cutting-edge technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into power utilities has proven to be a game-changer. By harnessing the potential of IoT and AI, TNBRD is not only driving operational excellence but also setting the stage for a resilient and future-ready energy infrastructure in Malaysia. The Importance of Digital Transformation in Power Utilities As energy demands continue to grow and the push for sustainability intensifies, power utilities face mounting challenges. Aging infrastructure, increasing energy consumption, and the need to reduce carbon emissions call for innovative solutions. Digital transformation offers power utilities a strategic pathway to address these challenges by enabling enhanced monitoring, data-driven insights, predictive maintenance, and dynamic customer engagement. With IoT and AI as foundational pillars, TNBRD is building a smarter energy grid that adapts in real time, reduces operational costs, and improves service delivery. This transformation aligns with Malaysia’s National Energy Policy, aiming to create a low-carbon, resilient energy ecosystem. IoT and AI: The Cornerstones of TNBRD’s Strategy The convergence of IoT and AI brings a new level of intelligence to power grids. Here’s how TNBRD is leveraging these technologies to modernize Malaysia’s energy landscape: Key Benefits of IoT and AI Integration in TNBRD’s Power Utilities The strategic integration of IoT and AI brings multiple benefits to TNBRD’s operations and the wider Malaysian energy sector: Looking to the Future: TNBRD’s Vision for a Smarter, Greener Grid As TNBRD continues to innovate, the focus remains on scalability and resilience. Future initiatives include the integration of renewable energy sources into the digital grid and the potential use of AI for decentralized energy management. This move aligns with global energy trends, where distributed energy resources (DERs) like rooftop solar and battery storage systems are becoming increasingly common. Additionally, TNBRD is exploring advanced applications of AI, such as reinforcement learning, to make the grid even more adaptive and responsive to changes in demand. In collaboration with local and international technology partners, TNBRD aims to expand its IoT infrastructure, equipping every level of the grid with data-gathering capabilities. Conclusion: Building Malaysia’s Energy Future Through the integration of IoT and AI, TNBRD is paving the way for a resilient and sustainable energy future for Malaysia. The journey of digital transformation not only enables TNBRD to meet today’s challenges but also positions it as a regional leader in energy innovation. By harnessing the power of technology, TNBRD is creating a smarter, greener grid that will serve future generations, contributing to Malaysia’s vision of a sustainable, low-carbon society.
Paddy is the most predominant crop cultivating in about 125000 hectares in Thiruvannamalai district. Though the crop occupies a major area, the farmers are not getting their quality seeds in subsequent seasons due to heavy demand of seeds to cover larger area. By keeping the mentioned points above, the TNBRD has been initiated the quality seed production in paddy in association with NABARD, Thiruvannamalai. The project focuses on the farmers club of Vandavasi and Thellar block involving 220 progressive farmers to start their own paddy seed production unit. Training on seed production, certification and other procedures will be disseminated to the farmers involving the local seeds certification department officials and scientists from KVK.
In order to provide awareness on recent technologies in agriculture and allied subjects, more number of farmers clubs have been formed at the village level. The club consist of 15 – 20 progressive farmers including female and SC/ST people of that village. The main aim of the club is gathering monthly once to discuss among the members related to scientific advancement in agriculture by inviting technical experts for the meeting. In addition to the credit linkage facilities to be made for the clubs those interested in starting their own ventures. Trainings also arranged for the group members in linkage with the KVK in order to create awareness on recent trends in agriculture.
Vegetables special is a micronutrient formulation developed at Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR), Bangalore for combating the deficiency of micro nutrient occurring in vegetable crops. The formulation has been found to be unique with six micro nutrients namely Zinc, Boron, Manganese, Iron, Molybdenum, Copper and three secondary nutrients such as Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur. The vegetable special is recommended as foliar spry for all vegetables. The spray of vegetable special is found to enhance the yield levels by at least 10 %. The most important qualitative advantage is enhancement of fruit quality. Vegetable Special at KVK ThiruvannamalaiWith a view to ensure the timely availability of the product to farmers and pave the way for horizontal spread of the technology. The technology of production of vegetable special has been acquired by KVK with the financial assistance of NABARD; Thiruvannamalai in the year 2014 and it is being produced at KVK and sold to farmers at nominal cost.
Thiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu is an agrarian district. Agriculture is the main occupation for about 82% of population in the district. Paddy, Groundnut and Ragi are the major agriculture crops cultivated in the district. Fruit crops viz., Banana, mango, sapota, guava, etc., vegetable crops such as Brinjal, Tomato, Bhendi, Chillies etc., are the major horticulture crops cultivated in the district. With a view to provide technical knowledge to the rural people of the district and to promote more number of food processing units for their economic upliftment, the TNBRD established Food Processing Training Centre at Kilnelli Village in collaboration with the National Mission on Food Processing funded by Ministry of Food Processing during 2014 for the purpose. Trainings to farmers, farm women and rural youth are regularly planning in the following fields. The total project out lay is Rs.15.00 lakhs.
To disseminate latest technologies and farm related innovations for the skill enhancement of farming community towards their socio-economic upliftment, KVK has been formed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi in each and every district of Tamil Nadu. In Thiruvannamalai, KVK is located at Kilnelli village of Cheyyar taluk and its being operated for the benefit of farming community since 1991. The major mandates of KVK are : “Technology assessment, refinement and demonstration of technology / Products.” Activities
