Role of local innovation in mechanisation of maize shelling: Evidence from Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru Local Government Areas, Kaduna State Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the benefits of a mechanical maize sheller made by a local artisan based on data from 90 farmers selected randomly and equally from Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Results of the study showed that 76.7% of the respondents adopted the maize sheller made by the local artisan as compared to 23.3% still engaged in hand-shelling of maize. Regarding performance of the maize sheller, 93.3% of the respondents indicated that they were very satisfied, while 3.3% stated that they were satisfied. Farmers agreed that the maize sheller was beneficial to them in 'terms of time saving, ease of operation, availability of the sheller in the community, local arrangement for maintenance, reduction in wastage of grains, creation of employment for youth and access to the equipment by female farmers. However, most of them felt it was not affordable. The results of the study have shown that it is possible for local artisans, and farmers to play a significant role in the process of developing innovations that will enhance agricultural productions. Hence, convergence of ideas and expertise from both formal and non-formal institutions in a multistakeholder framework is likely to be more beneficial to farmers.

A Strategic Approach to Value Chain Upgrading—Adopting Innovations and Their Impacts on Farm Households in Tanzania

“…This may indicate that the region around Morogoro offers higher diversity in terms of agroecological conditions and cultivation, higher productivity on average, and better access to markets. Indeed, these factors have been identified as the most important barriers for adoption as pointed out by a study in Nigeria [12]. Therefore, when a household is located at the Morogoro region, these barriers are on average lower than in Dodoma, and therefore, our farm households located in the Morogoro region are more likely to adopt an UPS than those from the Dodoma region.…”

“…Farmers use the machine once per year after harvest. Both the maize-sheller and millet-thresher are capital intense and require five to six people to operate [12]. To receive access to one of the machines, the farmers had to group up and develop a financial plan.…”

“…For the purpose of this study, UPS are defined as sets of good practices and agricultural technologies used for securing food along the value chain at local and regional levels [11]. They may, by their nature, target improving efficiency, agricultural output and livelihoods by introducing machinery at their location [12]. Another target of UPS is to smoothen temporal food availability, enhance stored grain quality and increase poor farmers' incomes through increased opportunities for market interaction [13].…”

“…The ex-ante impact assessment studies conducted in Tanzania showed a positive impact of UPS, resulting in higher income and market participation measured by the household commercialization index (HCI) [10]. A study conducted in Nigeria revealed that farmers who adopted UPS machinery devices for improved processing activities realized beneficial outcomes [12]. These beneficial outcomes ranged from increased efficiency in the process of shelling, lowering labour input of shelling and reducing wastage of grains produced, to creation of employment for the youth.…”

Development and Performance Evaluation of a Spring-Loaded Hand Operated Maize Sheller with Variable Mechanisms

“…These large stream-powered machines have now been mostly replaced with the use of the modern combine harvester that strips the kernels from the maize cob while the maize is being harvested in the field. In 2015, [7] assessed the level of adoption of mechanical maize shelling technologies are quite high, (76.7%) as compared to 23.3% who still engaged in hand shelling of maize. This suggested that a convergence of participatory innovation development framework is likely to be more beneficial to the farmers than the present technology -transfer approach to innovation development [8].…”