In a significant achievement for sustainable agricultural research, Yash Sonawane, a first-year PhD scholar at the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), has won the prestigious National Pune Agri Hackathon 2026. His innovative project, ProtoFeeds, impressed the jury and earned him a research commercialisation grant of Rs 25 lakh to scale up his model.
Competition and Recognition
Sonawane competed against top researchers, innovators, and agri-entrepreneurs from across the country. The hackathon, held in Pune, aimed to foster breakthroughs in agricultural technology. Dr Dheer Singh, Director of ICAR-NDRI, confirmed that Sonawane was awarded the winner's trophy along with the financial grant to advance his project.
The ProtoFeeds Project
Developed under the Division of Livestock Production Management (LPM) at ICAR-NDRI, ProtoFeeds addresses the theme Innovations in Renewable Energy in Agriculture and Farm Waste Management. The project employs black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) to efficiently convert municipal and agricultural organic waste into high-value protein meals, lipids, and organic fertilisers. This bio-circular system offers a sustainable solution for waste management and livestock nutrition.
Validation and Benefits
Rigorous livestock feeding trials demonstrated that replacing 10% to 15% of standard concentrate feed with dried larvae significantly improves body weight gain, nutrient digestibility, and blood hemoglobin levels in animals, with no adverse health effects. The techno-economic model of ProtoFeeds was highly praised by the national jury for its potential to revolutionise India's Waste to Wealth initiatives.
Efficiency and Scalability
Compared to conventional composting or Bio-CNG setups, the automated BSFL bioconversion model requires only 1–2 acres of land per 100 tonnes of waste per day, compresses processing time to 12–15 days, and offers a commercial payback period of 1 to 3 years. These features make it a highly efficient and economically viable solution.
Future Plans
Sonawane expressed gratitude for the academic environment and mentorship at ICAR-NDRI. The Rs 25 lakh grant will be dedicated entirely to expanding the project's research framework and commercial scale-up, positioning the institute at the forefront of smart, eco-friendly, and sustainable agricultural enterprises.
