What is SAFEETY Technology?

The Government of India is aiming to digitize and modernize food grain handling operations across the public distribution system in the country. As part of this initiative, the Department of Food and Public Distribution has developed an innovative Smart Food Grain Storage System (SAFEETY) based on Internet-of-Things (IoT).

• Government manages central pool stock of 61 million tonnes of wheat and rice.
• Stored across 2,100 warehouses of Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies.
• Issues like inefficient stock management and storage losses  are looming large.

Indian Food Grain Storage Industry

• Over 3,700 private entrepreneurs under Government Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) scheme
• PEG warehouses provide commercial grain storage services
• Storage capacity of 10 million tonnes achieved through PEG scheme
• Average storage gain of 0.45% offsetting transit/handling losses
• Food grains stored in Cover & Plinth (CAP) and silos storage infrastructure
• CAP storage capacity increased 4X from 35 to 163.7 million tonnes (2008 to 2018)

Food Grain Losses During Procurement and Distribution

• Cumulative production loss during harvesting, procurement and distribution estimated at 67 million tonnes worth $15 billion/year
• Major cause is lack of adequate storage infrastructure in production catchments
• Another key factor is inefficient stock rotation practices
• Requirement for steel silos to be located near production areas
• Minimize multiple freight movements from mandis to final warehouses

Key Objectives of SAFEETY

• Enable real-time monitoring of food grain stock position
• Enhance operational efficiency through automatic temperature and moisture controls
• Minimize quality deterioration through early detection of rodent or pest infestation
• Prevent storage losses and maintain stock safety standards.
• Generate daily stock status reports across all FCI warehouses

Key Technical Specifications

• SAFEETY model uses narrow-band IoT with sensors powered by 5 watt solar panels
• Sensor density designed at 1 sensor per 100 sq m godown area
• Command center dashboard consolidated through gateways every 5 minutes

Food Grains Stock Position in India (In million tonnes)

Key Features of SAFEETY Storage Systems

• Internet-of-Things architecture with modular sensor network
• Automated temperature and humidity controls
• Rodent/pest detection and fumigation mechanism
• Histogram camera for online grain quality analysis
• Stock measurement sensors to account for quantity stored
• Command and control centre dashboard for real-time updates

Pilot Implementations

• Pilot projects launched in 10 FCI warehouses across 6 states
• Monitoring 1.5 lakh tonnes of food grains in pilot godowns/silos
• Estimated investment of Rs 44 crore through PPP model
• Pilot projects completed installation and testing phase by January 2024
• Started generating daily automated reports on stock quantities since Feb 1, 2024
• Command center analytics detected first instances of abnormal moisture build up

Phase-wise National Rollout Plan

• Phase 1 (2022-24): 100 FCI warehouses across 16 states
• Phase 2 (2024-25): Extension to all FCI owned warehouses
• Phase 3 (2025 onwards): Scaled deployment across state agencies

Expected Benefits

• Reduce post-harvest grain losses estimated at Rs 50,000 crore/year
• Savings of Rs 800 crore per year in storage costs
• Plug pilferage and transit losses due to real-time monitoring
• Improve operational efficiency through data analytics
• Facilitate food safety monitoring and transparency

Challenges in Implementation

• High upfront costs for installing IoT infrastructure
• Frequent technology upgrades and data migration
• Capacity building and change management for workforce
• Integration with legacy warehouse management systems

The innovative SAFEETY platform aims to usher transparency, accountability and efficiency in grain handling operations. It is envisioned to be a key enabler for delivering food security and preventing post-harvest losses in India.