Malappuram: A team of Malayali scientists has engineered a chemically treated fabric aimed at safeguarding farmers from the detrimental effects of pesticide exposure, which often compromises their health.

The innovative fabric, known as 'Kisan Kavach', has been developed by researchers from the Department of Biotechnology at Bengaluru's Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem). This fabric effectively neutralizes pesticides before they can penetrate the farmer's body.

Mathrubhumi English is now on WhatsApp; Join the channel

Leading the research team is Dr. Praveen Kumar Vemula, an Associate Professor at inStem. The team includes Mahendra K Mohan from Thrissur, Teja PP. from Kannur, and Hadi Muhammad from Kozhikode.

Farmers frequently face severe health issues due to pesticide exposure, manifesting in symptoms such as vomiting, shortness of breath, tremors, blurred vision, muscle pain, and weakness. Even when wearing protective gear over the mouth and nose, chemicals can still infiltrate the body through the skin. The development of 'Kisan Kavach' aims to mitigate this crisis.

This fabric is designed for durability and is capable of being washed and reused for up to a year. Currently unmatched in its technology, 'Kisan Kavach' has garnered attention with its study recently published in the esteemed journal Nature Communications.

Dr. Omprakash Sunnapu, Director of Sepio Health, expressed the intention to make 'Kisan Kavach' economically accessible to farmers, pricing it at rates comparable to other agricultural clothing.