Bengaluru Startup Katidhan, Founded by S R Ayan, Uses Technology and Animal Psychology to Prevent Human-Animal Conflict and Protect Crops

In India, human-animal conflict has become a significant and growing concern, particularly for farmers who face frequent encounters with wildlife. In India, human-animal conflict has become a significant and growing concern, particularly for farmers who face frequent encounters with wildlife.

Farmers in states like Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat face significant losses due to animal encroachment on their land.

A Bengaluru-based inventor has created a lighting system to help farmers safeguard their crops and livestock from wildlife at night, without causing harm to the animals. Katidhan, a five-member startup on New BEL Road, recently secured an investment of Rs 1.5 crore on the business reality show, Shark Tank India.

Katidhan assists farmers in minimizing wildlife-related losses through its innovative, harmless solutions to such conflicts. The startup gained recognition when it appeared on Season 3 of Shark Tank, securing a Rs 1.5 crore deal.

Humane Innovations to Protect Crops Without Harming Animals

Hailing from Bengaluru, Ayan, a robotics engineer, was initially focused on building consumer robots. However, after a friend brought attention to the growing issue of human-wildlife conflict and its resulting losses, Ayan was deeply impacted. Upon further research, he discovered the widespread nature of the problem, affecting numerous states across India.

"In an effort to protect their fields, farmers often use methods like electric fencing, which can potentially harm the animals," he notes.

The engineers problem-solving mindset sparked the idea for Katidhan. "The area needed more solutions that wouldnt harm the animals. I was looking for new projects to work on, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity," he says.

Ayan explains that his product, Parabraksh, reduces human-animal conflict in a "humane way" by utilizing animals fear of other animals. The lighting system is based on this behavioral psychology, with each device containing four LED lights. The lights are arranged in pairs to resemble the glowing eyes of a predator from a distance, which helps scare away the animals.

They offer two versions of their deterrent technology.

One of our key products, Parabraksh, is a solar-powered auto light designed to protect crops from various wild animals like elephants, wild boars, and tigers. It operates automatically, flashing in different patterns throughout the night to create the illusion of another animal in the area, effectively deterring wildlife from entering the fields.

This solar-powered autonomous lighting solution helps safeguard crops without harming the animals.

"It operates automatically, turning on at sunset and flashing in various patterns throughout the night," he explains.

He adds, "The LED light itself isnt inherently threatening. Its the way the system is designed to be perceived by the animals that makes it effective."

Another important product the company offers is the bioplastic scare system, known as Kaapikat.

Katidhans sensor-based product, Kapikaat, is priced at Rs 5,000 and up. It emits loud sounds to repel monkeys during the daytime. "It is 70-75% effective. We believe that monkeys can eventually get used to the source of the sound and ignore it," says Ayan.

They also provide customized solutions that combine light and sound deterrents to meet specific needs. "This flexibility allows us to cater to different types of wildlife and their unique behaviors," he says.

Challenges in Product Development

Reflecting on the initial challenges, Ayan shares, "Our team consists of 4 to 5 dedicated members, and it took us about two-and-a-half years to develop these products."

He adds, "Understanding the behavior of different animals and how it changes with the seasons was crucial. For instance, elephants and wild boars behave differently in the winter compared to the summer. We conduct pilots for a minimum of 2 to 3 months to ensure the effectiveness of our products across different seasons."

Addressing Farmers Concerns and Building Trust

One of the biggest challenges Ayan faced was a lack of understanding among farmers.

“The farmers found it difficult to grasp how a simple light could deter animals when they were already dealing with significant wildlife issues. To overcome this, we conducted numerous demonstrations and partnered with organizations and farmer-produce associations,” he says.

Ayan also ran pilots for 3-6 months in various areas, allowing farmers to experience the effectiveness of their solutions firsthand.

"This hands-on experience helped farmers trust and adopt the technology," Ayan explains. He also notes that there was a general lack of awareness among farmers and villagers about non-invasive methods to deal with wildlife. Many were accustomed to using harmful methods to protect their crops.

"Introducing them to new, humane technologies required significant effort in education and demonstration to show that these solutions could be effective without causing harm to the animals."

So far, the company has reached and collaborated with over 2,000 farmers across the country, including in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.

Farmers interested in installing these devices can reach out to Ayan here.

Edited by Gayathri