KOCHI: The coconut-husking tool, one of the most popular engineering inventions in the state, has turned 25. Most households have made it mandatory, along with knives and machetes. The easy-to-use design has lessened the dependency of expert hands to perform the complex task of husking coconuts. Jippu Jacob, the inventor, designed the tool based on his wife’s ability to handle the same.
“I received insights on finalising the tool design by observing how my wife Annie could husk coconuts with the prototypes developed,” says Jippu. Along with Joby Bastian, he developed the coconut husking tool called Keramithra while working at Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Thavanur, Malappuram. They utilised ‘smithy tongs’ which were used to husk coconut, to develop the prototype.
The project was started on the insistence of the then vice-chancellor of Kerala Agriculture University, A M Michael. “The final design impressed the vice-chancellor and he directed Joby to to file for patent,” says Jippu of Mazhuvancherryparambath House in Cherai. The patent process took years to complete and a previous patent in the USA for a husking tool delayed the procedure. “The old one was a foot-operated design and could not achieve the same popularity,” says Jippu.
According to him, there were enquiries from the USA, West Indies, Australia and even from the agro-industries section of Tata group for the design. Households started accepting the innovation wholeheartedly without knowing its name or the fact that it was a patented product. Three women readily gave their affidavit which was crucial for considering the award for meritorious inventions by National Research Development Corporation during Republic Day in 1999. “However, we made a conscious decision to not insist on patent rights and allowed the free manufacturing of the tool,” says Jippu.
According to him, the decision was rewarding. “I have seen people carrying the tool for door-to-door sales and it gave me immense satisfaction that I could help them,” says Jippu. At the age of 70, Jippu continues to work on various agro engineering products. They include a tool which allows the user to punch a hole in the coconut to drink its water with a straw and to help pineapple farmers help pack saplings in batches for re-plantation.