Jowar (sorghum) is a staple food crop in Karnataka, and jowar roti is eaten almost every day in households across the region. Sumangala Patil and her husband Erayya are home-based entrepreneurs from Dharwad, Karnataka who supply jowar rotis to neighboring homes and shops.
Rotis are traditionally hand-rolled, but the Patils had invested in a roti-rolling machine by means of a loan, which helped them boost production. Unfortunately, it was powered by traditional electricity, which left them at the mercy of frequent power cuts, throwing a wrench in their productivity.
When she attended a market-oriented livelihood training program in the village, Sumangala was introduced to solar-powered roti rolling machines, which were independent of the unreliable traditional electric network and therefore more reliable. Now, with the help of the solar-powered roti roller, her productivity has increased from 150 to 450 rotis a day! Sometimes, in case of bulk orders during special occasions, she can even provide up to 1000 rotis a day!
Oh and check this out to know the health benefits of jowar. Did you know jowar is high in protein, helps with weight loss, and is also gluten-free? Yep; the good people of Karnataka were eating clean before it was even a Thing.
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