Appropriate Rural Technology Institute

The Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) carries out various programmes aimed at improving rural livelihoods through sustainable technologies. It promotes high-intensity cultivation of cattle fodder, such as African tall maize, and bamboo cultivation, focusing on systematic planting and treatment to reduce biodegradability. It develops low-cost greenhouses and net houses using bamboo and other materials to create favourable microclimates for plant growth. ARTI designs innovative bamboo pavilions, carts, and water tanks to support rural needs. Additionally, it promotes solar dryers and high-humidity chambers for plant propagation, including rooting cuttings and producing miniature trees. Its sugarcane nursery provides seedlings for farming, and the Grihalaxmi stove offers an affordable cooking solution. ARTI's single-barrel kiln supports bioenergy development.

The Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) runs a Dissemination Programme to train potential rural entrepreneurs in the technologies it develops. After standardising and testing the economic viability of these technologies, ARTI raises awareness through lectures, articles, demonstrations, and rural exhibitions. This outreach generates demand for training. The organisation operates a Rural Entrepreneurship Development Centre (REDC) in Maharashtra, where it offers training on a 4,000-square-metre facility. Trainees receive manuals, design drawings, and supplier contacts, with some materials fabricated by ARTI. While the centre can accommodate 40 trainees at a time, participants cover their own expenses unless external funding is available. Courses are flexible, allowing trainees to combine or customise modules based on their needs.