Improving Postharvest Systems – Promoting Agro-Industrial Development in Africa

Leonides Halos-Kim & Toshiro Mado Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA)

Funded by: The Nippon Foundation Tokyo, Japan Improving Postharvest Systems – Promoting Agro-Industrial Development in Africa

An account of a decade of research, development and extension on improving crop postharvest systems in sub-Saharan Africa under the auspices of the Agro-processing Project of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), Tokyo, Japan, in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria and the governments of Ghana, République du Benin and Ethiopia.

Leonides Halos-Kim Toshiro Mado Consultant Program Officer

Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Funded by:

Tokyo, Japan

The cover-

A collage of activities and impact of the SAA-AP program on introduction of improved postharvest technologies in sub-Saharan Africa

Improving Postharvest Systems - Promoting Agro-industrial Development in Africa

An Account of the SAA Agro-processing Program (1994 – 2004)

1 by: Leonides Halos-Kim & Toshiro Mado 1Leonides Halos-Kim is Consultant Agricultural Engineer of Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), Ethiopia; and former Postharvest Research Specialist of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria. Toshiro Mado is Program Officer of the SAA Agro-processing Project, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Printed by: Kayumanggi Press, Inc. Quezon Ave. Quezon City, Philippines

December 2005

The Project Management and Technical Staff (1994 – 2004)

Sasakawa Africa Association Agro-processing Project (SAA - AP)

Toshiro Mado Program Officer SAA - Ethiopia Office Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Leonides Halos-Kim Postharvest Research Specialist & Project Coordinator for IITA IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria (until April 2004); SAA Consultant Agricultural Engineer Quezon City, Philippines

Yong Woon Jeon Postharvest Technologist IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria (until December 1998)

Antoine Aoga Project Coordinator for Benin Cotonou, Benin

Dorothy Ankrah Project Coordinator for Ghana (until December 2003) WIAD- MoFA, Accra, Ghana

Sheita Sumani Technical Trainer for Ghana GRATIS Foundation, Tema, Ghana

Patrick Quansah Project Coordinator for Ghana (in 2004) GRATIS Foundation, Tema, Ghana

Gashu Belay Project Coordinator for Ethiopia Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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FOREWORD

This report documents an exciting story—of rural livelihoods improvement, inter- institutional collaboration, and effective public-private-farmer partnerships in agro-industrial development in Africa.

It begins in West Africa at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the pioneering Postharvest Engineering Unit originally headed by Dr. Yong Woon Jeon, an Agricultural Engineer and Rural Sociologist, who began to develop small-scale agricultural machinery in Southeast Asia during the 1970s and 1980s, largely related to rice harvesting and processing. While at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, Dr. Jeon developed a range of equipment appropriate for the rural areas of developing countries. One of his research associates in IRRI, a Filipino Agricultural Engineer, was Miss Leoni Halos (later Mrs. Leoni Halos-Kim). When Dr. Jeon moved to IITA in the late 1980s he continued to develop postharvest machineries and in 1991 he invited Miss Halos to help him.

Together they set up IITA’s Postharvest Engineering Unit, which combined equipment design, prototype manufacture, and training of local equipment fabricators and rural technology operators. Their first challenge was to develop improved technology for the production of fermented flour from cassava, called gari, a staple food in Nigeria and much of West Africa. Traditional gari processing was labor intensive, arduous, damaging to the health of the processors, and not very profitable. Jeon and Halos studied every step of gari production process, and then began to develop small-scale machinery—hand and motor powered—to improve on traditional processes. They were very successful.

The second part of the story began in Ghana in 1988, where a former Japanese overseas volunteer, Toshiro Mado, had been assigned to work with the December 31st women’s movement to help improve the profitability of various agro- processing enterprises. Gari processing was one of the specific activities of various women’s groups in this movement. Relatively large scale equipment was provided, but Mado felt that more locally adapted technology was needed. After returning from a postgraduate training in 1992, Mado resumed his interest in postharvest technology. His research led him to IITA in 1993, where he was introduced to Jeon and Halos-Kim, and the work of the Postharvest Engineering Unit. Their encounter proved to be an excellent match, and a partnership soon emerged.

IITA, primarily a research and development organization, was searching for an NGO partner, to help in the technology diffusion process. In 1994, SAA and IITA established a collaborative agro-processing project. The first phase would run for

five years. In it IITA would focus on technology generation, and technical backstopping for equipment fabricator training and SAA would focus on working with farmers groups—largely made up of women—who would use the IITA technology and equipment to develop agro-processing micro enterprises.

This report provides a comprehensive accounting of the evolution of the SAA-IITA agro-processing project. It describes partnerships with local organizations, primarily in Ghana and Benin that have made the project so successful. It surveys the range of equipment and technology that was introduced to farmers and it looks at the impact that this technology has had on the lives of farmers that have adopted it. Finally, it documents the development of local manufacturers and manufacturing networks that have been so instrumental in the diffusion process.

When the SAA-IITA agro-processing project began, relatively few organizations were engaged in the development of appropriate technology and local manufacturing capacity. Today, there is a growing consensus that value-adding enterprises like those described in this report are critical to poverty reduction in Africa and to agriculture-led industrial development. This project has been one that has helped to lead the way, with a growing set of activities in a half dozen more African countries.

I salute the many individuals who have contributed to this pioneering partnership—from IITA, SAA, national ministries of agriculture, especially in Ghana and Benin, other NGOs, farmers associations, and local equipment fabricators. I am proud to have played a small part in its establishment and evolution.

The information reported here will serve as an invaluable contribution to the development of small-scale agro-industrial development in Africa.

Christopher Dowswell Director of Communications Sasakawa Africa Association

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Sincere appreciation for the hard work and support of - The Farmers & Agro-processors in sub-Saharan Africa; Members of the Manufacturers’ Networks of Ghana and Benin; The Collaborating Partners from Government Programs of Ghana, Benin République, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Other African Countries; Development Partners from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs); Other Community Development Agencies (CDAs); The Staff of the SG2000 Africa Program; The Management and Staff of IITA, Nigeria particularly the Postharvest Engineering Unit; The SAA-AP Project Management and Staff; and to

The Sasakawa Africa Association for project organization and coordination; and The Nippon Foundation for providing the most needed funding.

Special appreciation to: Dr. Boru Douthwaite for the preliminary impact analysis; and Dr. Sergio Francisco for his inputs on economic analysis.

Leonides Halos-Kim & Toshiro Mado

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

AEATRI Agricultural Engineering Appropriate Technology Research Institute (Uganda) AESD Agricultural Engineering Services Department (MOFA, Ghana) AGECO Afro General Engineers & Contractors (Uganda) AGRO-ALFA Agricultural Tools & Equipment Rural Assistance Metal Works (Mozambique) APROMAH Association pour la Promotion des Materiels Agro- Alimentaires ét Hydrauliques (Benin) C.F.T.S. Centre de Formation Technique Mgr. Steinmetz (Benin) C.N.E.A. Centre National d’Equipment Agricole (Burkina Faso) CAMEMEC Construction-Ajustage-Menuiserie Métallique et Cloutérie (Benin) CARDER Centre d’Action Régionale pour le Développement Rural (Benin) CDA Community Development Agency CEFACOM Centre de Formation de Formation de Fabrication et d’Ajustage en Construction Metallique (Benin) COBEMAG Coopérative Béninoise de Matériel Agricole (Benin) DiFOV Direction de la Formation Opérationelle et de la Vulgarisation (Benin) EARO Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization ENTESEL Engineering and Technical Services Ltd. (Ghana) Ets - AFM Atelier de Soudure-Fabrication Métallique (Benin) F.M.T.A.-Benin Réseau des Fabricants de Materiels de Transformation des Produits Agricoles, Réseau F.M.T.A.-Benin FAMEZIO Fabrication Metallique de Zio (Togo) GRATIS Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Services I.M.A.F. Industrie Mali Flexible IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture IRCOD L'Institut Régional de Coopération –Développement MOFA Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture (Ghana) N.V.T.I. Nakawa Vocational Training Institute (Uganda)

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NARS National Agricultural Research System NRC National Research Center (Agricultural Mechanization Research Division, Uganda) R.T.S.C. Rural Technology Service Center (GRATIS Foundation, Ghana) R & D Research and Development SAA Sasakawa Africa Association SAA-AP SAA Agro-processing Program SG2000 Sasakawa Global 2000 SOMATA Societe de Machinisme Agricole et de Technology Appropriée (Guinea) STVC Selam Technical and Vocational Center (Ethiopia)

WIAD Women in Agriculture (MOFA, Ghana)

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CONTENTS Foreword ______iv Acknowledgment ______vi Acronyms and Abbreviations ______vii Contents ______ix

Section 1- Challenges for Developing Agro-industry in Africa _____ 1 Section 2 The SAA-Agro Processing Project ______3 1- Formation and Organization 2- Project Objectives 3- Project Funding 4- The Country Projects Section 3- Implementing Strategy and Collaboration ______10 1- Implementing Strategy 2- Technology Development and Adaptation 3- Manufacturing and Servicing of Technologies 4- Training and Technology Transfer Activities 5- Multilateral Information Exchanges 6- Role Sharing and Capacity Building 7- Project Monitoring and Impact Analysis Section 4- Component Agro-processing Technologies ______21 A. Cassava, Other Root and Tuber Crop Processing Equipment ______22 1. Peeling Bay and Cassava Peeling Tool 2. Mechanical Grater 3. Fermentation Rack 4. Cassava Mash and Gari Sifter 5. Double Screw Press 6. Improved Gari Frying Stove 7. Root Crop Chipping Machine B. Grain and Legume Crop Processing Equipment ____ 28 8. The Manually-operated Sheller 9. The Multi-crop Thresher 10. The Wet-type Grinder C. Palm Oil Processing Equipment ______30 11. Palm Oil Digester 12. Oil Press

Section 5- Capacity Building, Manufacturing and Technology Adaptations ______33 1. Capacity Building 2. Formation and Coordination of the Manufacturer’s Network 3. Field Demonstrations 4. Establishing Model Processing Centers 5. Adapting the Agro-processing Equipment Section 6- Monitoring and Adoption of Agro-processing Technologies ______48 1- Demographic Characteristics of Respondents 2- Crop Use and Marketing Practices 3- Labor Input to Crop Processing 4- Source of Information on Agro-processing 5- Adoption of Cassava Processing Technologies in Ghana and Benin 6- Adoption of Maize Processing Technologies in Ghana and Benin 7- Adoption of Palm Oil Processing Technologies in Ghana and Benin 8- Utilization and Management of Agro- processing Equipment 9- Feedback on Recommended Improved Agro-processing Equipment Section 7.1 Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies- Cases in Benin ______65 1. Benefits from Improved Agro-processing 2. Conflicts and Management Issues 3. Equipment Manufacturing and Servicing 4. Technology Design and Development Section 7.2 Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies- Cases in Ghana ______77 1. Benefits from Improved Agro-processing 2. Conflicts and Management Issues 3. Equipment Manufacturing and Servicing 4. Technology Design and Development

Section 7.3 Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies- Cases in Ethiopia ______87 1. Adoption and Utilization of Multi-crop Thresher 2. Adoption and Utilization of Groundnut Processing Machine 3. Manufacturing and Servicing of Improved Agro- Processing Technologies Section 8.1 Profitability of Gari Processing ______91 1. Profitability of Gari Processing System 2. Profitability of Gari Processing System at Varying Capacity 3. Economic Analysis of Custom-Hiring the Grater 4. Other Benefits of Improved Cassava Processing 5. Benefits to Manufacturers 6. Benefits to Gari Consumers and Cassava Farmers Section 8.2 Profitability of Wet-type Grinder ______101 1. Sheanut Butter Processing 2. Profitability of Wet-type Grinder 3. Profitability of Custom-Hiring the Complexe Karité 4. Benefits to Individual Processors 5. Benefits to Group of Processors 6. Benefits to Consumers Section 8.3 Profitability of Multi-Crop Thresher in Ethiopia ______111 1. Profitability of Custom-Hiring 2. Sensitivity Analysis of Thresher Operation Section 9 Lessons Learned and Recommendations ______119

ANNEXES Annex 1- Project Logframe Annex 2 – Monitoring Visits and Interviews: Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-Processing Technologies in Benin Annex 3 - Monitoring Visits and Interviews: Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-Processing Technologies in Ghana Annex 4 - Monitoring Visits and Interviews: Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-Processing Technologies in Ethiopia

SECTION 1-

CHALLENGES FOR DEVELOPING AGRO-INDUSTRY IN AFRICA

The economies of most developing Although some marked increases in countries as in sub-Saharan Africa production volumes were recorded in depend on agriculture. However, recent years because of the adoption agricultural development seems to of improved varieties and growing stagnate that agriculture alone is not techniques, the payoff after harvest able to support a reliable livelihood; is still insignificant. This is because neither secure the food requirements of costly losses, high labor of the increasing number of farming requirements, inappropriate facilities families. and poor product quality resulting in poor harvesting and handling Despite the introduction of yield- systems. The problems are increasing technologies in sub- aggravated by the fact that forces of Saharan Africa during the last 3 supply and demand for these crops decades, subsistence agricultural affect the marketable produce and production generally prevails, and the forms of products available for processing at the family level marketing or consumption. Without dominates. Most farmers and agro- the proper infrastructure to process processors still use primitive tools the crops in time, the production and techniques. One of the gains have less economic benefits. constraints is the inability of the farmers and processors to invest on Providing appropriate tools and machinery, in combination with land equipment for production and post- and labor input that facilitates production (postharvest) systems can farming and postharvest operations. result in better appreciation and sustained adoption of yield- A majority of the farmers cultivates increasing technologies. A challenge small fragmented farms, which posed to research and development discourages investments on institutions is to develop machinery machinery. Increasing land area and for production and post-production land-use efficiency to increase activities that requires minimum productivity is often hindered by poor investment so that it can be built and soil characteristics and the lack of purchased locally by individuals or tools to cultivate them. Manual small groups. Machinery labor input, usually by farm family development and production should members, is required but inadequate. involve different stakeholders linked To compensate for this labor to deliver the needed hardware to the shortage, there is a growing need to farmers and agro-processors. introduce labor- and drudgery-saving agricultural technologies.

Improving the postharvest system technology designers and will stimulate crop production manufacturers. because it facilitates processing and Many metal workshops are located in marketing of the produce. It also the urban areas undertaking mainly creates opportunities for developing repair of machine parts, with only a agro-processing enterprises for the few fabricating agricultural production of value-added products equipment. There is little to enhance their competitiveness in information available to the the market. Agro-processing opens manufacturers on the viability and up venues that generate employment profit-making potential of for the rural populace especially the agricultural equipment. Agricultural women who provide approximately equipment introduced earlier is often 60 per cent of the labor force in very expensive, complicated and small-scale crop and food processing difficult to replicate. Added to this is enterprise in sub-Saharan Africa. the lack of spare parts which limits The overall potential of agro- their servicing capacity. processing to transform agriculture On the other hand, farmers and to a profitable business is huge. It processors are in the rural areas, do can reduce wastage, enhance food not have access to the agro-metal security, improve livelihoods for low- manufacturers and do not know what income groups, and empower women. kind of technologies and equipment Agro-processing is the key to greater are available. These commercialization of agriculture in farmers/processors have limited sub-Saharan Africa. However, capacity and access to market and starting and developing agro- market information. This gap processing enterprise in Africa is between the farmers and agro-metal constrained by uncertainty that manufacturers obstructs the exists over access to finance, advice integrated business development and information, and reliable interests of both parties. markets. Various development organizations Developing the agro-processing had little success bridging the gap enterprise involves multiple partners between agriculture and industrial from development institutions, the sectors. Government policies that agricultural and industrial sectors. support this linkage are not well However, these sectors are still understood, if existent. Extension weakly linked as seen by the gap of work to fill the gap between information and technology flow agriculture and industry is therefore among farmers, processors, urgently needed.

SECTION 2-

THE SAA-AGRO-PROCESSING PROJECT

1- Formation and Organization The Sasakawa Africa Association In 2003, SAA launched the Agro- (SAA) based in Tokyo, Japan has processing Project (SAA-AP) to been supporting programs aimed at develop techniques and management combating malnutrition and poverty skills to establish small-scale, in Africa through programs that appropriate and sustainable enhances production and increases processing enterprises that are easily income. One of the development manageable and requiring little areas identified by SAA is capital investment using simple transforming agriculture into a equipment. For this purpose, SAA profitable venture. SAA recognizes teamed up with the International the challenges to the rural Institute of Tropical Agriculture entrepreneurs to invest in this area (IITA), Nigeria in 1994. IITA has as they are constrained by access to been developing small-scale finance, information, and reliable postharvest technologies to process markets. most of the food crops in sub- SAA’s approach is to improve the Saharan Africa in order to reduce techniques the small farmers use to postharvest losses, reduce the produce foods and then help them drudgery of traditional processing organize to get credit, acquire inputs done mostly by women, and expand and market their harvest more the utilization potential of crops. profitably. Following its successes in The SAA-IITA Postharvest disseminating production-enhancing Development Project was initially technologies through its SG2000 implemented in Ghana and (Sasakawa-Global 2000) partnership’ République du Benin (referred as programs, SAA now looks at ways Benin in the succeeding sections). At that will improve postharvest the same time, SAA-AP is also handling and processing of the investigating the opportunities for farmers’ crops in order to realize the assisting agro-processing tasks in grains brought about by improved other SG2000 country programs production techniques. Improving including Ethiopia, Guinea, Uganda, this section of the Mali, Mozambique and Nigeria. production/postproduction chain will increase income and improve access 2- Project Objectives to food in the rural communities of The ultimate goal of the SAA-AP sub-Saharan Africa. project is to increase the income and improve the well-being of rural

3 farmers and agro-processors, 5. Strengthen the institutional especially women who provide about capacity of users and extension 80 per cent of the labor required in officers in the use and crop and food processing. It aims to management of improved improve the postharvest handling technologies through trainings and and processing of the agricultural demonstrations in order to crops in order to reduce crop and food establish a support mechanism to losses, eliminate the drudgery of manage and sustain the traditional processing, add value to technologies. the products, and create income- The project not only aims to provide generating activities for the rural immediate benefit to the clients in populace. the countries where they operate but The project concentrates on also validate the approaches so that improving, adapting and introducing they could be replicated in other techniques and equipment countries. appropriate for developing small- scale agro-business within the 3- Project Funding production areas reducing costs to The Nippon Foundation, an both the producers and consumers, independent non-profit grant and on developing a support system organization based in Japan, is to sustain the business. funding the project as part of its In order to attain this goal, the support to the SG2000 programmes project has the following specific in 12 African countries. The fund is objectives: to help small-scale farmers to produce more by introducing modern 1. Identify, develop and adopt crop farming techniques, providing access harvest and postharvest to inputs and using existing local technologies at the household and technologies more effectively. village levels; Funding allocation for agro- 2. Disseminate technologies with processing project is provided each proven technical and socioeconomic country (Benin, Ghana and Ethiopia) impact; for administration and 3. Establish model crop and food implementation of their respective processing demonstration centers programs. The funds pay for the for the implementation of an salaries of local support staff, project integrated food production and coordination and monitoring. utilization methods; A special project fund of $100,000 4. Assess the technical, social and annually was paid out to IITA from economic factors and consequences 1994 to 2004 to enable IITA carry out to technology generation and adaptive postharvest researches and transfer; provide technical support to the

4 project. Part of the fund supported Over the years, the funds committed an International Staff position that to the agro-processing project has provided the technical backstopping been maintained despite the to the project. dwindling resources because of the urgency in improving postharvest An administrative fund is allocated handing and processing of for the management, coordination agricultural produce in the region to and monitoring of the project in all secure food supply and increase country programs and IITA. The income of the farmers and coordinating staff was based in processors. Ghana until 2003 when it has relocated to Ethiopia to facilitate 4- The Country Projects project support to other SG2000 country programs. The agro-processing project initially selected Benin and Ghana in West On the average, the annual Africa where SG2000 project has operational and management budget been active in the last decade. The provided by the Nippon Foundation country projects were also selected amounts to USD348,000. IITA because of their comparative shared additional funds-in-kind advantage of having diverse (such as salaries of support staff, use agricultural production systems of vehicles, other facilities) allowing technological adaptations equivalent to approximately 17 to for various environments which can 30% of the total annual project fund. easily be replicated in other IITA’s contributions sustain its countries. research and development objective of improving the postharvest systems The production and processing that supports the technical systems of food crops, and the requirements of the SAA-AP project. potential for marketing value-added products were among the criteria for Funding allocations to Ghana and site selection. Other factors were Benin République has been reduced availability of labor and raw by the end of 2004 and re-structured materials, and access to major roads to fund new country projects such as and markets. Ethiopia. In April 2004, funding to IITA was also stopped to increase In Benin, the project operated from support to collaborating national the SG2000 project in Cotonou. In research teams to allow adaptations Ghana, the project operated from the of selected technologies for Ministry of Agriculture in Ghana. In continuing technology development, 2002, the project started its and fund project monitoring and operations in East Africa operating impact assessment activities. from the Ministry of Agriculture, Addis Ababa.

A Project Logframe (Annex 1) was and 5) to increase the efficiency of prepared in 2000 as a tool for project the government. staff in monitoring the project Various strategies are in place to activities and impact. The logframe implement the agricultural programs served as a guide to improve consistent with other national organization and to focus the development policies of the activities to attain the project government. For example, to achieve objectives. greater food security, the government works to improve the Benin marketing of domestic staple foods Benin lies along the borders of Togo, and to identify options for regional Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria in trade, for example with the Sahelian West Africa. More than half of its countries. population depends mainly on Increasing rural income is a priority agriculture and trade with the agenda of the government of Benin Sahelian countries, and Nigeria for which has influenced its research their livelihood. Agriculture policy. Benin is one of the few accounts for 38% of the gross countries supporting research and domestic product. development on postharvest and Agricultural intensification varies marketing of food crops. It is trying distinctly from south to the north, as to identify enterprises with potential agricultural production depends on income improvements and rainfall. The rainfall conditions in encourages farmers to intensify their the South allow two cropping seasons production systems for value-added per year. In the north, there is only products. one rainy season per year and has The SAA-AP project is helping the greater chances of drought which government of Benin achieve its limits agricultural intensification. goals of increasing income of the Maize, cassava, and yams are the farmers and other entrepreneurs and most important food crops. Cotton is attaining food security. Working the principal export crop. hand and hand with its local In 1993, the Benin Ministry of Rural partners, SAA-AP is able to reach Development identified five principal clients even in remote areas, objectives for agricultural identified and trained metal development: 1) to improve food manufacturers to make postharvest security, 2) to increase rural incomes, equipment available to 3) to enhance the contribution of entrepreneurs, and create a agriculture to the balance of supportive environment for payments, 4) to consolidate the sustainable rural enterprises. natural resource base of agriculture,

The work of agro-processing program (MoFA) through the Women in in the next decade is crucial to the Agricultural Development (WIAD), sustainability of the technologies and and the Agricultural Engineering the small-scale entrepreneurs in Services Division (AESD) to identify Benin. and promote appropriate agro- processing technologies to the rural Ghana women and processors. Agriculture is a major occupation in Among the first collaborative work is Ghana, as in other developing to review the policies on importation countries, and the population is of agricultural machineries and directly, or indirectly affected by identifying potential local policy interventions in the manufacturers to be trained to agricultural sector. The primary supply identified technologies locally. responsibility for food security lies Until 2003, SAA-AP program in with the national authorities. The Ghana disseminated various Government of Ghana has a non- packages of technologies that allow traditional, export-led growth value-added processing of food crops strategy propelled by the private both for domestic and export sector. markets. In 2004, the project Many policies support export more activities concentrated on than domestic agriculture. For strengthening the manufacturing example, the policy of 1970 was to sector. GRATIS Foundation provided encourage large-scale commercial project coordination focusing on farming with mechanized systems. training of trainers, re-training of Several types of tractors were technicians, monitoring and imported to support increased servicing the agro-processing agricultural production; spare parts equipment used by processors, and became a big problem. This policy strengthening product quality control failed to take into account the and promotional activities. interest of the majority of farmers The SAA-AP program trusts the cultivating small farmlands. The government of Ghana will take over government had little success this initiative from the project from introducing large-scale 2005. mechanization. The government then changed policy with emphasis Ethiopia on developing appropriate Ethiopia is an agricultural country technologies instead of importing. with 85% of the population In support to the policy of developing dependent on agriculture for food commercial farming, the SAA-AP and livelihood. With the assistance program, in 1994, teamed up with of the extension program of the the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Sasakawa Global 2000 (SG2000)

7 working in parallel with appropriate collaboration with the Ministry of government agencies, production of Agriculture, Ethiopian Agricultural food crops in the potential areas is Research Organization (EARO) increasing steadily. through its Extension Department, and the national NGOs such as The increasing production volumes Selam Technical and Vocational made farmers more aware of the Center (STVC). The project is being postharvest problems and demand housed by the Ministry while STVC for improved postharvest techniques is providing a mechanical workshop is increasing. The SAA agro- and technical support to the project. processing program is addressing this issue. Since 2002, the program The continuing work of the agro- identified problem areas on teff and processing project in Ethiopia, and maize processing, storage and other SG2000 countries is being marketing. The program adopted planned carefully and needs good some postharvest equipment such as support and monitoring. the multi-crop thresher and wet-type The project continues to be grinder, which were introduced in implemented beyond 10 years, and Ghana and Benin République. The beyond Ghana and Benin. Many program also identified agro-metal more African countries, as shown by manufacturers who are trained on the dots in the map (Figure 1), are manufacturing and servicing of the participating and benefiting. Project equipment. To increase awareness activities in these countries are on the technologies, it had also been replicated and implemented by the conducting field demonstrations for National Programs with technical farmers, processors, manufacturers backstopping from the SAA-AP and policy-makers. project staff. The agro-processing activities in Ethiopia are being conducted in

Fig. 1 - The SAA-AP project started in 1994 in Benin and Ghana. The adoption of improved agro-processing technologies is spreading throughout sub-Saharan Africa as shown by the red dots in the map

SECTION 3 -

IMPLEMENTING STRATEGY AND COLLABORATION

1- Implementing Strategy strategy has contributed to the full The SAA-AP project is being understanding of constraints and implemented using holistic opportunities for improving the development approach described in system. The model is a cyclic and Figure 2. It recognizes the dynamic process which enables all postharvest system as part of a more stakeholders to assimilate complicated Community System. It information, formulate, evaluate and assumes that the farmers and agro- adopt solutions for continuing processors within the Community developmental concerns. System are able to internalize and 2- Technology Development and solve their problems but needs some Adaptation external assistance from the Resource System to verify their Technology development and solutions, seek more and effective adaptation is a lead role by IITA. options and apply them. IITA advises the project staff on availability and suitability of agro- The project’s role within the processing equipment sought for. Resource System is to provide IITA develops and adapts new solution to specific concerns on technologies when available postharvest and agro-processing. It technologies are not appropriate for also links the community system to the target client. IITA works closely Remote Resources and involves as with the national counterparts on many stakeholders as possible to technology selection and evaluation. facilitate program implementation. It relies on users’ feedback on the The participatory development adequacy and efficiency of the

Fig. 2 - Model for the development and introduction of improved agro-processing technologies (Jeon & Halos-Kim, 1991)

10 technologies. enhanced with the farmers’ traditional knowledge to ensure Because the bulk of the post- effective technology transfer. production activities are performed Farmers are likely to innovate and by women, small-scale crop and food adopt readily if given the proper processing technologies are vitally incentives. Adaptation of potential needed to help women, to at least existing technologies will enhance cope with family food-processing their effectiveness and encourage requirements. However, the users to invest in them. If this development of technologies should option is not existing, new improved focus on food products that are technologies are selected and sufficiently available and for which adapted as local conditions require. competitive markets exist so that families can both satisfy their own 3- Manufacturing and Servicing needs and increase their incomes. To of Technologies accomplish this, the development Micro- and small- scale approach needs to incorporate the manufacturing enterprises play an mechanization aspect of the important role in the project. Their operation. This, however, is a short- commercial activities give farmers sighted strategy if it overlooks the and agro-processors access to other factors in the system such as industrial products and services the economic capability of farmers when and where they are needed. As and agro-processors and the nature many of the technologies require of the farming system. These are the local manufacturing and supply, the bases of the development goals clients look to this informal sector for shared by IITA and SAA Agro- their livelihood opportunities. processing project. Many small metal workshops and Analysis of constraints associated repair shops found in Africa operate with postharvest operations, in an informal, unregulated sector suggests that the introduction of usually employing less than 10 appropriate tools and equipment, informally trained technicians. They system arrangement1, and are vulnerable to rapid technological investments in training of farmers and market changes, but are less and agro-processors could overcome positioned to benefit since they have the problems. Any technological very little market power and may not innovation however should be have ready access to information, knowledge and skills required to 1 Arrangement of component operations so identify and exploit new that process and material flow are most efficiently handled with the least movement, opportunities. therefore avoiding losses (due to spillage, Some of the manufacturing etc.) and unnecessary delay. enterprises are tied to regional,

11 national and even international manufacturers and sensitizes them markets, and part of the supply on the importance of their role in chain. The expansion of global developing agro-processing markets (globalization) may enterprises particularly in the rural therefore create the potential for this areas. Sources of raw materials for sector and those dependent on them fabrication, and market outlets of to benefit from any technological products are constrained by lack of changes. regulations in the delivery chain. The recognition of the The SAA-AP project concentrates on manufacturers’ network in each improving techniques and country will facilitate the equipment, but just as importantly, formulation of appropriate policies to the information, knowledge and support the growth of local skills associated to their supply and manufacturing; adoption. The capacity to organize these effectively is a major activity of Improve access to appropriate the project to help the small-scale and affordable goods manufacturers. The project assists The project provides multilateral collaborating manufacturers to: linkages which sensitize partners on Improve product design and sources of information and production techniques technologies and identify market opportunities. Through networking, The project helps collaborating the manufacturers are able to manufacturers in identifying recognize their individual strengths technologies with promising market and compliment each other by opportunities then training them on sharing information and their selected options. Training resources; collaborating manufacturers helped them find ways to produce better Disseminate appropriate quality goods with more added-value technologies across a wider scale for the markets identified. In This includes supporting addition, it creates information manufacturers of tools and services which can supply knowledge equipment with information or and understanding of new technology technical assistance that can help options and markets; them reach low-income markets. Increase their influence on Technicians are trained to enable markets and on relevant policies them provide the necessary skills to operate, demonstrate and service the The project assists manufacturers by machines. The project activities also building their capacity to organize provide information to target users and represent themselves in on access to technologies creating government programs. The project direct linkage to manufacturers. organizes the collaborating

4- Training and Technology  Training on Design, Development and Transfer Activities Management of Technologies The method of introducing the This training is given to partners technologies to the ultimate users is who are responsible for of vital importance, if adoption is to demonstrating the technologies and succeed, owing to the complex nature in training operators and end-users. of the socio-cultural environment They are also expected to oversee the where the technology is to fit. The sustainability of the technologies in project designed and implemented the transition from a project-base to training courses to enable the a processor- or farmer-managed development partners to carry out system. the task of bringing the technologies The training is designed to impart to end-users effectively. The project understanding of strategies for also organized and conducted field generation and transfer of demonstrations, and established technologies, their design features model processing centers to improve and management requirements. It the awareness and understanding of also provides trainees the necessary end-users on the availability and skill to operate the technologies. The accessibility of technologies. The training is an intensive specialized team also meets regularly to have a course which could last up to 3 dynamic update on project activities months. After which, the trainees and concerns, and to learn from each gain more experience through their other on improve technologies, and continued participation in project new approaches to improve activities. technology transfer.  Training on Manufacturing and  The Training Programs Servicing of Agro-processing Training is an important component Equipment of the project. Technologies, This training is aimed at enabling particularly machines, equipment local manufacturers to meet the and processes, require a special demands for improved agro- training for researcher, field processing equipment. The training technicians, local artisans and is designed to develop skills of farmers/agro-processors. Training fabricators to improve the quality to programs are designed and provided their fabrication, provide after-sales- to development and extension service and quality control to sustain workers as well as the end-users to the functionality of the equipment. enable them manage the project and Consequently also, quality control sustain the adoption of the task forces or teams are being technologies. Different types of organized and mobilized by training are given for various groups participating manufacturers in an of beneficiaries. effort to maintain a high standard

13 quality of equipment being delivered. options available to potential users The training has been decentralized as well as to policy-makers. and conducted in-country to promote The demonstrations provide an the local manufacturing industry. opportunity for extension workers This is to encourage the use of locally and manufacturers to get direct available materials and services responses from farmers and agro- reducing manufacturing costs and processors on the suitability of the eliminating importation costs, thus technologies being introduced. making the technologies more Farmers and processors are allowed affordable to the users. to operate the equipment during the

 Training on Operation and demonstration giving them Management of Technologies immediate exposure to the technology. This process stimulates This training is intended for interaction and generates operators, farmers, and agro- information on design, make and processors to enable them optimize performance of the technologies the utilization of the technologies in which are communicated back to the order to optimize the benefits they designer. This feedback mechanism derive from the technologies. The facilitates technology development training includes actual operation of and enhances the suitability and the equipment, analyses of adoptability of the technology being advantages and disadvantages of the promoted. technologies, and tips for successful agro-enterprise management. Involving policy makers and Extension workers and the development agencies during manufacturers trained through the demonstrations also allow for project usually conduct this type of sensitization of rural development training. Consequently, the projects which could solicit support extension workers increase their for funding, adoption and contacts with farmers and agro- implementation. processors, which improve their  Establishment of Model credibility. For the manufacturers, it Processing Centers is part of their product promotion Parallel to the demonstration and after-sales services to expand activity, model processing centers are their market contacts. established to showcase improved  Field Demonstrations agro-processing technologies and Field demonstrations are conducted their associated benefits. The set-up to promote awareness in improving of the center is based on system the handling and processing of farm dynamic in which factors affecting produce, and expose technological and affected by the technologies are present. Unlike field demonstrations, which are done

14 occasionally, the processing center 5- Multilateral Information operates under actual circumstances Exchanges affecting operation efficiency, Technology development and management and profitability. The technology transfer processes take center also serves as training venue time and require multi-lateral for researchers and extension information exchanges among workers while providing more agencies involved to optimize information on utilization potentials utilization of their limited resources. and constraints that are used to fine- One key role that the project plays is tune the technologies. to stimulate multilateral information The centers are established with the exchange and cooperation that could active participation of farmers and create a consensus that developing agro-processors in different agro- an agro-processing industry must be ecological environments. The sites a joint effort of several stakeholders, are selected on the basis of crops and each one having a unique and cropping patterns, volume of complementary role to play. production, nature of crop processing Collaborating institutions come and utilization, accessibility to together and share their resources markets, availability of extension and benefit from it. This linkage also services, etc. The sites are also promotes exchange of information selected for their potential for and eliminates duplication of commercial activities and market development efforts resulting in expansion. The expressed more efficient project management. willingness of the agro-processors to 6- Role-Sharing and Capacity participate is also an important Building selection criterion. The SAA-AP project is a collaborative The site in Ghana is located in effort among different stakeholders Abodom Bomso Village, Eastern engaged in improving the Region. In Benin the center is located postharvest handling and processing in Agodenou Village, Atlantic Region. of agricultural crops in Africa. The In both villages, the farmers grow stakeholders formed a team of and process mainly Cassava, Maize, committed collaborators and Palm Oil, and Rice. Production is at partners. The team consisted of the subsistence level. One reason representatives from international identified is lack of processing research center (IITA), the National capability for any increases in the Agricultural Research System volume of production. The nearest (NARS) programs, non-governmental market is at least 2 km from the organizations (NGOs) and other villages. community development agencies (CDAs), local manufacturers, farmers

15 and agro-processors of Ghana and SAA and the collaborating partners Benin. in each country project are responsible for the promotion of the In Ghana, the project collaborates technologies through demonstration, with the Ministry of Fisheries and and developing partnerships and Agriculture (MOFA), the linkages with the appropriate sectors Agricultural Engineering Services to make technologies available to the Division (AESD) and the Women in end-users. Agriculture (WIAD). In Benin République, the project collaborated The local collaborating partners also with the Direction de la Formation organize and provide training Opérationelle et de la Vulgarisation programs for users and clients on the (DiFOV). operation and management of the technologies. Working closely with This partnership on improving the the NARS, the NGOs and other postharvest/agro-processing system community development agencies of food crops now extends to other provided the necessary contacts and African countries such as Ethiopia, logistics for most project activities. Uganda and Mozambique. The The NGOs and other CDAs play as collaborators have their specific and facilitators and could provide funds shared roles within the project based to pursue their postharvest-related on their development mandates. projects. This role-sharing activity is illustrated in Table 1. Field demonstrations are conducted involving the various stakeholders The research centers, i.e. IITA, with interest on developing the agro- collaborate to disseminate its processing enterprise. They include research results and provide the equipment manufacturers, technical backstopping to the project. material suppliers, development IITA is responsible for technology organizations and policy-makers. identification, testing, development, During demonstration, they are and adaptation. It also conducts the provided with information on the training courses on development, commercial opportunities of, and the fabrication and servicing of selected rising demand for, processing technologies. equipment. The NARS oversees the The farmers and agro-processors who implementation of project activities are the ultimate beneficiaries of the in their respective countries. They project influence the development of are responsible for most extension rural agro-processing enterprises and activities because of their support the manufacturing industry comparative advantage of having while increasing their own capacity. physical presence and mandate for nationwide development.

Table 1- Role-sharing among the SAA-AP project stakeholders in training programs and field demonstration

Training for Training for Training for STAKEHOLDERS Field Demonstration Extensionist Manufacturers Users/Clients

◦ Ministry of Planning & Coordination; Staff Appointment Planning & Coordination Agriculture Monitoring ◦ Ministry of Planning & Coordination; Staff Appointment Planning and Coordination Industry Monitoring Production; ◦ Agro-metal Selection of Staff; Quality Control; Workshops/ Customer Service Cost-sharing Manufacturers Promotion; Marketing ◦ Farmers and Technology Utilization; Feedback Processors Feedback Technology design, testing Technology design, testing & ◦ IITA, Other Trainer; Quality Trainer & adaptation; adaptation; R & D Institutions Control Monitoring Quality Control Coordination; Coordination; Monitoring; ◦ SAA Funding Funding Funding Feedback

implementation including status of Their participation and feedback on each country project, technology utility, adequacy, and profitability of development updates and funding. the technologies are valuable guides for adapting the technology to the As in many rural development local environment. The various projects in Africa, funding is very potential users (individuals, private critical in order to tap and mobilize entrepreneurs, women’s groups, and the potential human and material community organizations) are resources available in the region. encouraged to take part in Without proper funding, these demonstrations and field-testing. resources could be wasted and could Their participation can stimulate stagnate development. The role of their interest to invest in the SAA to coordinate the funding and technology. the activities has been the key to continuing success of the project. The Program Officer coordinates and conducts a regular meeting of the 7- Project Monitoring and Management Team consisting of the, Impact Analysis the Country Program Coordinators The SAA-AP project introduced and the representative of the improved agro-processing respective country Manufacturers’ technologies in Ghana and Benin, Network and the Postharvest and recently in Ethiopia. This is Engineer/ Specialist. The meeting is being complemented by trainings of conducted quarterly to discuss individual owners, processors and matters relating to project manufacturers in order to enhance

17 their capability. Monitoring the to expand their business because project activities and impact is done they technologies are easy to regularly to provide technical fabricate and uses local materials to backstopping, where necessary, and allow for efficient after-sales- to determine the adoption pathway of services. the technological intervention.  Economic Factors and The schematic diagram in Figure 3 Consequences provides a framework to analyze the Economic aspects to technology impact of the project on the lives of design and adoption are analyzed in the different beneficiary-groups. terms of net returns to the limiting The interventions are expected to resources (capital, labor, etc), scale of bring about improvement in the operation, opportunity costs of inputs welfare or quality of life of the and outputs and the short-, medium-, stakeholders- the producers, and long- term benefits. processors, manufacturers, by Policies and regulations such as enabling them to realize higher tariffs, pricing, lending rates, etc. are income, and being more equipped as also studied to formulate policies an individual and as a member of the that is favorable for small to medium community. scale enterprises in processing and A model to analyze the factors and manufacturing. consequences associated to Improved technologies should result postharvest technology development in increase income and equity of and introduction in Figure 4 ownership and benefits for all users indicates the impact indicators as a of the technologies. result of the project intervention.  Social Factors and  Technical Factors and Consequences Consequences The social structures where The features of the selected technologies are introduced affect the technologies are evaluated in terms adoption rate and sustainability of of their suitability to users’ the technologies. Technology level requirements. The more important and innovativeness facilitate attributes being required are adoption and increase social simplicity, affordability, mobility, profitability from use of improved transferability and replicability. technologies. Appropriate technologies encourage Improvements brought about by use farmers and agro-processors to adopt of improved technologies enhance the technologies to minimize losses in quality of life of farmers, agro- their operations and reduce the processors and local manufacturers. drudgery of traditional methods. Small-scale manufacturers are able

A complete analytical model is (3) statistical tools; (4) direct yet to be devised to show the comparison; and (5) path analysis interrelationships of the variables. (for most social indicators and Where appropriate the following information flows). analytical tools are applied: (1) task analyses; (2) quantitative analyses;

Fig. 3– Framework for the analysis of impact of improved agro-processing technologies

Fig. 4 - Model for analyzing the factors and consequences of postharvest technology development and transfer

SECTION 4 -

COMPONENT AGRO-PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES

and introduced as described in Table The agro-processing technologies 2. introduced by the project in Benin and Ghana were selected from The family-based processing package technologies developed at IITA- consists of manually operated Nigeria, and from existing potential equipment designed for women and technologies from other sources. children responsible for family food preparations. This scale is The technologies were selected on the particularly attractive to women basis of their potential impact in since it can be carried out in the overcoming excessive postharvest home concurrent with the other and processing losses, high labor household activities. It is input, and poor product quality. The recommended for a hamlet1-based technologies should create operation that three to five family opportunities to increase income of units can use in turns. processors and free some of their time to spend for other productive The technology package for women’s activities. group processing is designed to reduce the drudgery of individual The pattern of crop production, the processing and to encourage women type and nature of food processing to invest collectively. It is partly and consumption, the gender roles in mechanized to process family food crop and food production, the and at the same time to provide available resources, the technical opportunity for women to generate and economic capability of the income. It is intended to be operated farmers, and the marketing for food exchange, contract opportunities are among important processing, and product marketing. criteria considered in the selection of The food-exchange scheme offered by the technologies. The special the center relieves the women of requirements for specific food individual household processing. preparations, as well as the The women can come to the discriminating taste of the processing center to exchange raw consumers, are yet other factors materials (cassava root) for processed considered in the selection. Technology packages for different levels of operations and targeted 1A hamlet is a settlement of kins forming a toward specific user-groups and their small community in the villages in the operational objectives were adapted northern part of West Africa, farming and trading together.

21 products. They gain time to work in A. Cassava, Other Root and the center and earn income. Tuber Crop Processing Equipment The technologies for small- and medium-scale enterprises are more Cassava is a major food in the diets mechanized and designed for and livelihoods of many smallholder enterprising men’s and women’s farmers. About 80 percent of the groups, community associations, or cassava is consumed by the private individuals, primarily to producing household. Harvesting for generate income. consumption is usually done weekly, and processing is done throughout Analyzing the overall technical and the year by women and children economic requirements for potential using traditional methods. Because income-generating enterprise, the most postharvest operations use slow equipment chosen included cassava traditional methods, they are time- processing package (consisting of consuming. grater, chipper, press, fermenting racks, sifter, and improved stove), grain thresher and mill, wet-type grinder and oil processing machines.

Table 2. Guide to selection of postharvest technology packages for different levels of operation

SCALE OF OPERATION FEATURES Family-based Women’s Group Medium-Scale Small-scale Enterprise Processing Operation Enterprise Target User - Family units: Women - Women’s Groups (up to - Women’s Groups and - Private Entrepreneurs and Children 30 members) Family units - Community - Cooperatives - Private Entrepreneurs Associations Recommended Operating - Family Food - Food Exchange - Contract Processing - Trading Scheme Processing - Contract Processing - Trading - Custom-hiring - Hamlet-base - Trading Processing Design Capacity (Raw Material Input) - Cassava, Other Root and 50 kg/day 1 ton/day 3 ton/day Up 5 ton/day Tuber Crops - Grain and Legume 10 kg/day 200 kg/day 0.5 ton/day Up 5 ton/day 2 Manually-operated 30% Mechanized 50% Mechanized 80% Mechanized Degree of Mechanization Component Equipment - For Cassava, Other Root and Peeling Bay, Peeler, Fermentation Rack, Grater, Bagging Stand, Dewatering Device, Sifters, Tuber Crops Chippers, Grinders, Transport Facility, Stove, Dryer - For Grain and Legume Harvesters, Threshers, Bagging Stand, Winnowers, Sorters, Grinders, Polishers, Dryer, Storage Cribs

2Degree of mechanization describes the operations within the system using improved equipment or machines relative to the application of mechanical means.

Mechanical peelers are still not Harvesting and processing require available, even at IITA. The the most labor. Women contribute 87 development of mechanical peeler is percent of the time required to constrained technically by the fact process food for family consumption, that the roots, even of the same and they are also involved in variety, varies considerably in size harvesting and handling. and shape. Secondly, peeling is a Cassava processing equipment was major economic activity of many packaged for both sites to enable women and children in the cassava 3 them produce gari initially, then producing areas. diversify to flour and starch. The Peelers use a special knife, called traditional process of gari production ‘okafi’, or the ordinary kitchen knife. is mostly done manually involving It is tedious and presents danger of peeling, washing, grating, accidental bruises and cuts to fermenting, dewatering, sieving and operators. The peelers are paid by roasting into the desired dry the volume or heaps of cassava they granular form, the gari (Figure 5). peel. Gari is then cooled before it is packed for any intended use. Immediate intervention focused on improving the ergonomics of the System analysis shows the critical operation. Available options operations in peeling, grating, recommended are the peeling bay fermenting, dewatering, sifting and (Figure 6) and the cassava peeling roasting. The project introduced tool (Figure 7) developed in IITA. interventions for these unit operations as described by the The peeling bay allows easy reach of improved process in the diagram. To the cassava roots by peelers who enable processors to diversify their could seat conveniently while peeling products as demanded by the even with their babies at their back. market, the root crop chipping It also reduces contamination of machine (chipper) was also peeled roots with soil saving an introduced. already scarce water resource. The cassava peeling tool could substitute 1- Peeling Bay and Cassava for the knife in order to reduce Peeling Tool accidental cutting to operator and Manual peeling requires a labor force wastage of cassava. of 20 women processors to peel 1 ton of cassava roots in 1 hour.

3Gari is a popular cassava food in West Africa made by roasting grated and fermented cassava.

Fig. 4- Process flow chart: gari processing in Ghana and Benin

2- Mechanical Grater Mechanical graters with Lister Diesel Engine were introduced as Traditionally, cassava is grated early as the 70s. Most of the manually using perforated tins. It installations provide grating services takes one woman to grate 50 kg of but are located far from the cassava per day. The method is processors who are in the villages therefore suited only for processing with poor road and transport system. food for family consumption. To the operators, the lack of spare parts and high maintenance costs

24 hindered the growth of their allows better organization of the business. workplace.

Considering improved efficiency, low 4- Cassava Mash and Gari Sifter investment cost, reliability and good product quality, the project Sieving the grated pulp before introduced the IITA-designed roasting or frying (to break the portable grater with bagging stand, pressed pulp) and after frying (to Figure 8. It is powered by 3.5 Hp grade the gari) is traditionally done petrol engine and has a design using flat baskets with loosely woven capacity of 1 ton per hour. It can be base (similar to a sieve) made from 4 used for stationary or mobile raffia or bamboo. It is locally operation. available, and is well-adopted by the women. However, it is not very 3- Fermentation Rack durable thus requiring frequent replacement. Because it is shallow, Fermenting is an important unit the losses due to spillage during operation in gari production as it sifting could be significant. gives the characteristic flavor of the gari. Aerobic fermentation takes The project introduced the cassava place after grating. The grated pulp mash and gari sifter developed at could be bagged or heaped on the IITA (Figure 10) to increase ground covered with nylon bag or efficiency in terms of durability, leaves, and left to ferment. reduction of spillage, and time- Fermentation period can vary from 1 saving. The sifter is made of wooden to 4 days depending on consumers’ box where sifted grated cassava is taste preference. accumulated, a platform to hold the bag of pressed cassava and a During fermentation, the juice which removable sifter box with base made drains out of the grated pulp spoils of stainless mesh. on the ground causing environmental pollution, thus health hazard. The 5- Double Screw Press juice that drains off the pulp immediately after grating contains Cassava contains about 80 percent of most of the starch content of cassava. water which needs to be removed The starch could be collected and during processing to reduce spoilage could be an additional benefit to the by microbial growth and processor instead of an contamination. environmental nuisance. A fermentation rack (Figure 9) was introduced to facilitate the collection 4 of starch from the grated cassava Raffia is feather palm of tropical Africa, Madagascar and Central and South America pulp before it ferments. It also widely grown for commercial purposes.

Fig. 9 – Fermentation rack facilitates collection of starch from grated Fig. 6 – Peeling bay to improve comfort cassava pulp and efficiency

Fig. 7 – Cassava peeling tool to reduce accidents and wastages Fig. 10 –The Cassava mash and gari sifter with sliding sieving box

Fig. 11 – The double screw press facilitates dewatering, simple to operate requiring minimum repair and maintenance

Fig. 8– The portable cassava grater with bagging stand for improve efficiency and reliability

6- Improved Gari Frying Stove The traditional process involves putting the grated pulp in bags of Stove made of clay soil fueled by approximately 10 to 20 kgs, and then wood-fuel is a common cooking boulders, logs or other heavy objects facility found in most African are placed on top. Other method households. For gari roasting/frying, uses tree branches or sticks where the stove is constructed to hold the the bagged pulp is compressed wide-based pan made of kiln-dried between two branches tied at both clay or aluminum. The women gari ends. With these methods, it takes 3 fryers sit directly next to the stove to 6 days to reduce the water content and are exposed to heat, smoke from to a level suited for roasting (not burning fuel, and the evaporating more than 45% moisture on wet fumes from the drying cassava. The basis). In commercial-scale process is tedious and presents production, a single-screw press is health hazards to operators. being used, either manually operated Furthermore, the dwindling source of or with the use of a hydraulic jack. fuel wood limits the capacity of the The method is constrained by operators. frequent breakdown of the jack and The project introduced a more the screw. efficient stove with improved Dewatering cassava is critical as it combustion efficiency to eliminate affects the efficiency of roasting and smoke, save fuel and to provide the quality of gari. If the pulp is still comfort to operators. The gari frying too wet when roasted, it results in stove developed at IITA (Figure 12) discoloration and coarser granules. was introduced, and existing fryers Improving the performance of the were modified by providing a single-screw press, a double screw chimney or by locating the fuel feed press (Figure 11) was adapted. opening outside the frying shed.

The design offers solution to screw 7- Root Crop Chipping Machine breakdown due to non-uniform Cassava chips have regional and distribution of compressive loads, international demand for use in the and requires less force to operate. production of bakery products, or as Four to 6 bags of fermented pulp raw material in the formulation of (approximately 250 kg) can be loaded animal feed. per batch to reduce the moisture to 40% in 4 to 6 hours. The double screw press was further adapted to be operated with a mechanical jack to speed up the process.

Fig. 12 –Improved IITA gari frying stove (left) and one of the modified local stove (right) eliminate smoke, save fuel-wood and provide comfort to operators

In Benin, Ghana, and Nigeria fermented cassava flour called lafun5 is processed and consumed by many rural families. Cassava flour is produced by cutting the cassava root into 1- to 2- inch chunks then dried under the sun. It takes 5 days, or more, to dry the cassava chunks resulting in quantitative and qualitative losses. The dried cassava Fig. 13 - The chipper cuts root and tuber is milled into flour. crops into thin strips for faster drying The root crop chipping machine (chipper), Figure 13, was introduced lafun) faster resulting in good quality in project sites where the demand for flour. cassava chips and flour, was identified. B. Grain and Legume Crop The chipper cuts the roots into Processing Equipment smaller strips which could dry, or ferment (in case of production of Grain and legume crops are grown extensively in the dry Savannas of Africa. Seventy-five percent of the crop harvested is consumed by the 5 Lafun is processed by soaking the whole root producing household. to soften which could take 5 to 7 days. The process results in a certain degree of Maize is mainly grown as a cash fermentation that gives a characteristic crop, while sorghum, millet, and flavor liked by consumers but also discoloration sets-in. Softening also allows cowpea are grown for family easy removal of the peel and central fiber. consumption. Depending on available The softened cassava is sun-dried, and then rainfall and inputs, they are planted milled. once, sometimes twice, a year. Land

28 areas planted to these crops are still Other equipment were added as the very small, irregular and fragmented processors begin to relate their making difficult to mechanize. Each process output to system efficiency. crop has a brief harvest period, but the harvested crop is processed into 8- The Manually-operated Shellers food products in small quantities throughout the year. The average The traditional methods of shelling production of grain and legume crops maize are pushing off the grains by individual farm family is from the cob with the thumb, or sufficient to feed the household for placing the cobs inside a bag then not more than 3 months. beaten repeatedly with a stick. Groundnuts are cracked between the Harvesting and other postharvest fingers to release the nuts. These operations are constrained by the are done by women and children, are lack of labor during the peak harvest cumbersome and time-consuming. season when the farmers harvest their crops at the same time. Very The project introduced improved often the harvest season coincides devices such as the manually- with rainy season when the crops operated maize shellers (Figure 14), could not be dried sufficiently for safe and the groundnut sheller (Figure storage. 15) constructed from locally available materials. Timing of harvesting and consequent operations for grains and legumes is The objective is to relieve operators therefore critical because, for safe of the drudgery of manual shelling, processing and storage, the crop has save time and allow for subsequent to be gathered quickly. This urgency operation to take place for safe places a heavy load on the women storage and marketing. and children who contribute more than 60 per cent of the labor required 9- The Multi-crop Thresher for postharvest operations. Farms in Ghana and Benin are The SAA-AP project first focused on planted to a mixture of crops, as in improving the primary processing of many African countries. Investment grains and legumes so that they can in machinery for individual crops can be gathered on time before be very expensive and could not be qualitative and quantitative losses justified by the present scale of occur, and then processed into a operation. more durable form that could be Even as the volume of production of stored for further processing. For grains and legumes are currently, on this purpose, the project introduced the average, less than a ton per the shellers, multi-crop thresher, the hectare, individual farmers could not wet-type grinder, the polisher, the cope with the required labor to single screw press and the rice mill. harvest and thresh them. Hired and

29 shared labor is scarce as farmers are reduce operation and maintenance occupied in their own farms. Also, costs and improve product quality. addressing the market demand for The wet-type grinder has been tested the crops, the capacity has to be for maize, millet, sorghum, cowpea increased. The multi-crop thresher and soybeans. Recently, the grinder and a cleaner/sorter, Figure 16, was was also adopted to produce introduced by the project initially for groundnut and sheanut butter. maize shelling, and then adapted for other crops as millet, sorghum, C. Palm Oil Processing cowpea, soybeans and teff. Equipment Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) grows 10- The Wet-type Grinder extensively in the tropical rain forest Grinding is an important operation of West Africa running through the in processing African foods. Dry southern latitudes of Cameroon, Côte grinding is used when dry grains and d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, legumes are ground to flour for Sierra Leone and Togo. further use. Wet-type grinding applies to grinding soaked materials, Palm oil processed from oil palm for example, maize to produce mawe6, fruit is an essential ingredient in soybeans to produce milk, millet and many of the traditional West African sorghum to produce tuwo7. It also foods. The traditional method of applies to grinding oil crops such as processing palm oil is simple, but groundnut and shea nut for tedious and inefficient. Technology subsequent production of butter and for palm oil production is generally oil. suited to village or a big plantation. Improvement on the system A maize grinder introduced in the generally concentrated on reducing early 70s had been used for years to the drudgery from mashing or assist processors in their grinding pounding stage (digestion), and needs until 1994 when the project improving the efficiency of oil introduced the wet-type grinder extraction. (Figure 17) to increase capacity, 11- Palm Oil Digester Small mechanical, motorized digesters (mainly scaled-down but 6 Mawe is a traditional food in Benin made by unheated versions of the large-scale soaking maize for 2 to 3 days, ground, then sifted. The resulting granulated flour is units), but without heat insulations dried. It is reconstituted with hot water then and steam injections were eaten as light porridge. This food is similar to ‘ogi’ or’ koko’ in Ghana and Nigeria. introduced. The digestion efficiency 7 Tuwo is a traditional food in Nigeria was low, and the cost related to processed from fermented sorghum or millet operation and maintenance was high. flour.

Fig. 14 – Manually-operated maize shellers introduced by the SAA-AP project are simple, low-cost, reduces drudgery and saves time

Fig. 16 – The multi-crop thresher and cleaner/ sorter allows quick field handling of crops for subsequent processing

Fig. 15 – The manually-operated groundnut sheller increases shelling rate by almost 90%

Fig. 17 – The wet type grinder produces fine paste for more efficient extraction of oil or soymilk

a screw thread or hydraulic A screw-type grain polisher mechanism. Hydraulic presses are developed at IITA was tested faster than the screw types and effective for palm oil digestion powered presses are faster than (Figure 18). manual types. The kneading action exerted on the Many types of screw presses of the fruit mass helps to break down the spindle type are used in palm oil and palm oil component for ease of groundnut oil extraction. They vary extraction. The machine is portable in configuration and capacity. The and is suited for many backyard oil single screw press developed at IITA processing enterprises. (Figure 19) introduced by the SAA- 12- Oil Press AP project has a special load-bearing design to ease operation and reduce Applying mechanical pressure using frequent breakdown of the screw. A a press is the most common method bigger model is available for higher of extracting oil out of a mixture of capacity. oil, moisture, fiber and nuts such as from digested palm oil, and from groundnut butter. Presses use either

Fig. 18 – The palm oil digester adapted from a grain polisher has transformed backyard palm oil processing into a profitable cottage industry in Ghana

Fig. 19 – The single screw press is easy to operate and maintain. Application: extraction of palm oil, groundnut oil, soymilk, others at the household level

SECTION 5 -

CAPACITY BUILDING, MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY ADAPTATIONS

being devised while technologies are For a decade, the SAA-AP has been adapted and disseminated for collaborating with research adoption. institutions, national government agencies, communities, groups and 1- Capacity Building entrepreneurs in Benin, Ghana and Recognizing the comparative Ethiopia. During the project advantage of the local partners in implementation, technology dealing directly with the end-users, development, as well as transfer the project provided training to build strategies are continuously adapted up and strengthen the human according to the feedback on resource base and their capability to technology and system performance implement, monitor and eventually where technologies are introduced. manage the project. A significant accomplishment of the The objective of the training courses project is the strengthening of was to transfer information and linkages among the various expertise in developing food stakeholders. The intended users processing and enterprise know where to get information on management skill. A vision shared technologies and market by the project collaborators is to opportunities. develop the local training capability The project has disseminated to reduce project costs and empower different types of agro-processing the local stakeholders. equipment in Ghana and Benin. The direct involvement of the Several modifications were adopted partners in the project is developing to improve the technologies, or to not only their skills, moreso, their develop new ones to suit users’ association with their clients which requirements. Example cases are helps build up trust and confidence. presented where feedback from The project initially trained 4 project beneficiaries was used as decision staff each from Benin and Ghana tools to improve on the attainment of followed by specialized training of 5 the desired outputs. more staff who are leading the Adopting the strategies from these training and monitoring activities in experiences, SAA-AP is also assisting each country. agro-processing programs of other Trained staff of participating African countries including Ethiopia, national and other rural Uganda, Mali, Nigeria and development programs is now able to Mozambique. New techniques are organize effective field

33 demonstrations and implement manufacturers’ promotional training courses on equipment activities. Operators’ training should operation and management. The in fact be considered manufacturers’ partners also participate in designing care. Manufacturers should evolve and implementing monitoring their concept of business operations surveys to assess the impact of the to include the cost of operators’ project. training as a means of maintaining good relations with customers. The increasing demand for improved agro-processing equipment in As requirements for technologies different parts of sub-Saharan Africa vary, many of the training courses has been mobilizing the local have been de-centralized and manufacturing industries. Training implemented in-country in order that of manufacturers and coordinating associated constraints are directly their activities in order that addressed and solutions formulated technologies are supplied with the using local resources. right quality where they are needed, Decentralization broadened the is yet another output of the project. geographic spread of the technologies Manufacturers are trained to where users can now obtain understand the design features of the equipment and services. equipment so that they could Manufacturers in Ghana and Benin improve the quality of their products, reported increasing business do local adaptations and provide activities in fabricating agro- after-sales services to their clients. processing equipment, hence There are about a hundred increasing their income. technicians trained through the Training also resulted in project (Table 3 and 4). Until the end empowerment of individuals and of the 5th year, IITA provided groups, especially the women. Their technical backstopping to these activities are contributing to build trainings. the communities' capacity to develop. Training on quality control and after- It is the women's access to important sales-services, in addition to information, their social contacts, enhancing technical skills, enable the family authority and their wealth of manufacturing industries to produce relevant knowledge that form a locally superior technologies which strong foundation for family and eliminate importation costs and its community development. Their associated constraints on increasing economic activities sustainability such as the lack of contribute to improvement within spare parts and services. The project the family circle which spillover to also encourages manufacturers to the community. take up the costs of field Further, the activities of the project demonstrations as part of the have been influencing policy-makers

34 to improve the policy environment to The collaborating manufacturers in encourage development of small- Benin and Ghana (Table 3) are scale food processing enterprises. working together to support the Several adoption decisions in each dissemination of improved agro- country resulted from benefits processing technologies. In each demonstrated by the technologies country, the collaborating introduced by the project. In Ghana, manufacturers operate as a network the Ministry of Women and Children without loosing their individual Affairs funded the dissemination of business identity. The network is over 200 sets of gari processing intended to enhance their capability package to women groups in the to supply good quality equipment different districts in 2002 and 2003. and services. They operate on the This is backed by installation and basis of complementarity of roles in training on operation and the supply of demanded equipment maintenance by the SAA-AP project while maintaining competitiveness collaborators. the driving factor in producing high quality products and pursuing their The government of Benin is likewise business objectives. extending full support to the project to promote the different agro- In Benin, the network (Réseau des processing technologies and develop Fabricants de Materiels de a support system to sustain these Transformation des Produits technologies. The government had Agricoles, Réseau F.M.T.A.-Benin) requested the manufacturers’ formed by the alliance of the four network of Benin to participate on collaborating manufacturers planning the mechanization program (COBEMAG, CAMEMEC, C.F.T.S. of the country (personal interview and APROMAH) won the recognition with Mr, Whannou Erasme, of the government to operate November 2004). officially to supply the demand for 2- Formation and Coordination improve agro-processing equipment. of the Manufacturers’ The network has been registered Network under the Ministry of Internal Affairs as non-profit association. A big challenge to the project is to One of the network activities encourage individual collaborating embodied in their by-laws is the manufacturers to form into a establishment of store room for spare network. By sensitizing the parts which will be accessible to the manufacturers, the project is able to members of the network and the institutionalize the linkage of the technology-users. The store room local manufacturing sectors with has been set up and is stocked with government support programs to spare parts such as grating sheets, ensure full support in terms of pillow block bearings, aluminum management and legislation. pulleys, etc.

Table 3 - Collaborating manufacturers of agro-processing equipment in Ghana and Benin

Category of Number of Trained Agro-Processing Equipment Company Name / Location Operation Technicians* Adopted BÉNIN République ▪APROMAH / Bohicon Semi-private/ Wet-Type Grinder, Oil Press, Association pour la Promotion des Materiels Agro- Cooperative Grater, Double Screw Press Alimentaires ét Hydrauliques (Partly funded by IFAD) ▪ C A M E M E C Sarl / Godomey Private 4 Cassava grater, Double Screw Construction-Ajustage-Menuiserie Métallique et Press, In-Field Cart, Multi-Crop Cloutérie Thresher, Chipping machine, Wet-Type Grinder ▪ C E F A C O M / Azové Private 2 Cassava grater, Double Screw Centre de Formation de Formation de Fabrication et (Funding support by Press, Multi-Crop Thresher, Wet- d’Ajustage en Construction Metallique Belgian Type Grinder Government) ▪ C . F . T . S . / Ouidah Regional 6 Cassava grater, Double Screw Center de Formation Technique Mgr. Steinmetz Press, Multi-Crop Thresher, Wet- Type Grinder ▪COBEMAG / Parakou Semi-private/ 8 Multi-Crop Thresher, Grain Coopérative Béninoise de Matériel Agricole Cooperative Cleaner/ Sorter, Cassava grater, Double Screw Press, Rice Mill GHANA ▪ G R A T I S Foundation / Tema Formerly, 17 Multi-Crop Thresher, Grain Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Services Government; (include R.T.S.C. Cleaner/ Sorter, Cassava grater, Now a Foundation technicians) Chipping Machine, Palm Oil (since December Digester/Kernel Cracker 1999) ▪ENTESEL / Tema Private 4 Multi-Crop Thresher, Grain Engineering and Technical Services Ltd. Cleaner/ Sorter, In-Field Cart, Chipping Machine, Wet-Type Grinder, Palm Oil Digester ▪R.T.S.C, GRATIS Foundation Private 36+ Cassava grater, Double Screw Rural Technology Service Center (IFAD-supported (conducted by Press, Bagging Stand, project) attached to GRATIS Staff) Fermentation Rack, Sifter, / Cape Coast, Bolgatanga, Ho, Koforidua, GRATIS Foundation Chipping machine Mampong, Techiman, Takoradi, Wa

*Approximate count based on records from 1995 to 2000 until the manufacturers are able to conduct their training

In Ghana, the project trained the GRATIS Foundation and its clients technicians of I.T.T.U. (Intermediate now form the Manufacturers’ Technology Transfer Unit), now Network in Ghana. An active partner R.T.S.C. (Rural Technology Service and client to GRATIS Foundation, Center), operating under GRATIS ENTESEL (Engineering and (Ghana Regional Appropriate Technical Services Establishment) is Technology Industrial Services) contributing significantly in Foundation, and their clients. The standardizing and supplying regional presence of GRATIS equipment parts. The network’s through the R.T.S.C. is facilitating a continuing support to the project wider technology transfer. include mobilizing the Quality

Control Fronts (QCF) in all R.T.S.C. Agricultural machinery and those of their clients so that manufacturing is starting to be equipment are fabricated with the recognized as a profitable business correct specifications. enterprise. Many metal manufacturers supporting industrial Trained technicians of collaborating fabrication and repairs of parts in manufacturers in both countries play the construction industry are now lead roles in training other involved in fabricating agro- technicians of neighboring West processing machines. Until the end African countries (Togo, Guinea, of 2004, sales records from Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso) soliciting Ghana and Ethiopia (Table 5) show assistance from the project. These interesting trend in the demanded countries procured a number of agro- and sold equipment. Based on the processing equipment from Benin record it can be inferred that the and Ghana. They saw the potential cassava processing equipment is well of adopting the technologies and the accepted in Ghana and Benin; the technology transfer strategy to palm fruit digester has good adoption pursue their country programs on in Ghana; the multi-crop thresher is postharvest technology development well adopted in Ethiopia, and the and extension. wet-type grinder for sheanut butter From 1998, the activities in Ghana processing was popular in Benin. and Benin also spread to East Africa The concern of many manufacturers (Ethiopia, Uganda and Mozambique). shared by the project is the sustained Project staff trained extension supply of spare parts for fabrication officers and women groups in gari and servicing agricultural machines processing using improved since many of them operate on a techniques, and trained local scale lacking complex machinery manufacturers in fabrication and (such as lathe machines), and servicing of equipment to supply the usually have technicians who barely anticipated demand for improve have formal training. The network is equipment. Collaborating helping the fabricators to bring the manufacturers in countries with message to appropriate entities for a trained technicians reached by the concerted support to strengthen this project (Table 4) reported continuing sector of the industry. The project demand for, and sale of Cassava supports the continuing operation of grater, chipper and thresher. the trained manufacturers through Demand for other postharvest further training and helping to equipment is also reported to be create a link between them and the growing. suppliers and clients.

Table 4 - Collaborating manufacturers with trained technicians in countries reached by the SAA-AP project

Company Name / Location Category of Number of Trained Agro-Processing Equipment Operation Technicians* Adopted BURKINA FASO ▪ C.N.E.A . / Ouagadougou & Government 2 Multi-Crop Thresher, Grain B-Dioulasso Cleaner/Sorter Centre National d’Equipment Agricole ETHIOPIA ▪ NRC / Nazareth Government 2 Multi-Crop Thresher National Research Center (Agricultural Grinder, Polisher Mechanization Research Division) ▪ STVC / Addis Ababa Non-governmental 8 Multi-Crop Thresher, Grater Selam Technical and Vocational Center Organization (NGO) Grinder, Polisher, Groundnut supported by Swiss Sheller; Government Also provides technical support to the SAA-AP project in Ethiopia GUINEA ▪ SOMATA,/ Kindia Private 12 Multi-Crop Thresher, Grain Societe de Machinisme Agricole et de Cleaner/ Sorter, Chipping Technology Appropriee Machine MALI ▪ I.M.A.F. / Bamako Government 2 Multi-Crop Thresher, Grain Industrie Mali Flexible Cleaner/ Sorter MOZAMBIQUE ▪ AGRO - A L F A S.ARL, / Maputo Private 6 Cassava grater, Double Screw Agricultural Tools & Equipment Rural Press, Chipping Machine, Assistance Metal Works Cassava Mash Sifter ▪ KANES Alfaias Agricolas, Sarl Private 6 Cassava grater, Double Screw / Maputo Press, Chipping Machine TOGO ▪ FAMEZIO / Tsevie Private 2 Cassava grater, Double Screw Fabrication Metallique de Zio Press, Chipping Machine, Multi- Crop Thresher UGANDA ▪ AGECO / Iganga Private 2 Cassava grater, Double Screw Afro General Engineers & Contractors Press, Fermentation Rack, Cassava Mash and Gari Sifter ▪ AEATRI / Kampala Government 2 Chipping Machine, Wet-Type Agricultural Engineering Appropriate Grinder Technology Research Institute ▪ N.V.T.I. / Kampala Government 4 Chipping Machine, Wet-Type Nakawa Vocational Training Institute (supported by JICA) Grinder, Gari Frying Stove Hosts Manufacturers’ Training in Uganda ▪ TONNET Enterprises / Kampala Private 2 Cassava Grater, Double Screw Press, Fermentation Rack, Cassava Mash and Gari Sifter *Approximate count based on records from 1995 to 2000 until the manufacturers are able to conduct their training

Table 5 – Summary of agro-processing equipment manufactured and sold by collaborating manufacturers in Ghana, Benin and Ethiopia

Benin Ghana Ethiopia Type of Equipment Total (1994-2004) (1994-2004) (2002-2004)

Bagging Stand 24 264 0 288

Cassava Grater 235 367 0 602

Cassava Mash & Gari Sifter 44 266 0 310

Chipping Machine (Chipper) 4 34 0 38

Double Screw Press 186 374 0 500

Fermentation Rack 44 266 0 349

Groundnut Sheller 0 0 46 46

Multi-crop Thresher 76 24 47 147

Palm Oil Digester 6 77 0 82

Rice Mill 1 2 0 3

Wet-type Grinder 60 8 8 76

3- Field Demonstration The role of manufacturers in field Field demonstrations proved to be demonstrations is helping them to useful strategy for introducing new promote their products and link technologies and techniques. The them to the clients. Through the direct interaction among the various demonstrations, the processors gain stakeholders during the field confidence on the availability and demonstrations creates the accessibility of the technologies and important link to pursue their their associated services. individual business objectives. Field demonstration is effective but The timing and venue of the expensive part of technology demonstrations must be planned transfer. The stakeholders should carefully to get a good participation share the costs and benefit from it. from a wide cross-section of the stakeholders: trainers, operators, 4- Establishing Model manufacturers, rural development Processing Centers and extension specialists, funding The model processing centers agents, others. Most recent, the established provides a venue to government officials are invited to demonstrate the utility and benefit solicit their commitment to support derived from the use of technologies. the adoption of the new technologies The facilities are used directly by the in terms of funding and legislation. beneficiaries under normal situations. This allows them to learn

39 and benefit from the improved in Table 6. A reliable feedback technologies. The operation of the mechanism is helping to improve the center is self-liquidating. The technical performance of the operating costs are paid through the machines as well as develop income from using the facilities. In operating schemes to optimize their the center, the processors and other performance. interested parties will observe directly the viability and profitability 1- The Cassava Grater of the new technologies. The IITA-cassava grater with rated Besides the improvement of the capacity of 800 to 1000 kg per hour processing system, one important was adopted readily by individual aspect of operating in a center is the and women group processors. The social construct which result from utilization rate increased to 60% the association of the users. The within the first year of introduction. center is a venue to earn money and Women were noted to have meet people and discuss various completely abandoned their family and community issues traditional method of manual affecting their ways of life. rasping. Increasing number of farmers and agro-processors involved The establishment of a center will in gari production was noted. Raw require a good management and materials for the increasing regular supply of raw materials to processing capacity is supplied by sustain its functionality. farmers who had increased their farm area planted to cassava, or are 5- Adapting the Agro-processing Equipment procured from neighboring villages and markets. A gap between rated and actual field capacities of the agro-processing Other uses of the grater were found equipment introduced in Ghana and such as crushing pineapple and Benin was observed. Field capacity ginger for juice extraction. Ghana however increases with usage of the processors are also using the grater equipment as operator develops skill to break loose the pressed cassava to manage it. In most cases, more (instead of sieving) before it is intensive training on the operation roasted to gari. and management of the machine, The feedback from users helped to rather than re-designing the further the development of the grater machine, will improve the operating to improve efficiency and to suit their efficiency. There are however many technical and economic capacity. cases when the equipment or a Considering processors in the remote component part needs to be modified villages and the poor road system, to correct reported malfunction. the grater was modified to ease Some of these cases are summarized operation, to reduce weight, and to

Table 6. Rated and field capacities, and acceptability of agro-processing equipment introduced in Ghana and Benin.

Rated Field Capacity Acceptability / Adaptation/ Type of Equipment Capacity Users' Comments Other Comments Start of Use After 1 Year - Cassava Grater, Engine- 800 to 240 to 300 720 to 800 - Very Good -Development of bagging Driven 1000 kg/hr kg/hr kg/hr - Immediate adoption stand to ease collection of grated mash and - Skill needed for engine operation starch -Portable model developed to reach processors in remote villages - Cassava Mash Sifter 1 bag 1 to 2 1 - 2 -Very useful and durable; -Size of sifting box (60 kg/hr) bags/hr bags/hr -High initial cost changed to fit standard -Liked very much cut of wire mesh -Immediate adoption by -Sifter adapted to fit the basin used by women to women and children reduce cost of box - Chipping Machine, Up to 200 60 – 100 60 – 100 -Cuts efficiently -Chipping plate moulds Manually-Operated kg/hr kg/hr kg/hr -Chips dry faster designed for local supply -Chipping plate to -Simplified fabrication by Up to 1000 Up to 1200 Up to 1200 replace worn out ones using cast aluminum - Chipping Machine, feed cup and chipping Power-Driven kg/hr kg/hr kg/hr not easily available -Slow adoption plate holder - Multi-Crop Thresher Up to 1000 400 – 600 Up to 800 -Versatile machine -Threshing drum rings kg/hr kg/hr -Pegs twist quickly and pegs re-enforced; -Separate cleaner -Incorporated cleaning cumbersome system -Immediate adoption for -In Ethiopia, donkey cart maize developed to carry thresher around to service customers - Wet-type Grinder Up to 50 Up to 20 Up to 20 -Very fine grinding but -Re-designing the cover kg/hr, wet kg/hr kg/hr; very slow plate with fixed grinding material higher for -Product recovery very stone less pasty high; -New design of feed and oily -Cumbersome to adjust auger to increase material and clean capacity -Slow adoption before -Manufacturers revised modification to increase utility- coupled with nut cracker - Auger-type Grain 120 kg/hr Not used Not verified -Not accepted as grain -Interchangeable auger Polisher polisher; found by users designed for palm oil good effective for palm digesting and palm converted as: oil digesting kernel cracking - Palm Oil Digester & 250 kg/hr 250 kg/hr -Immediate adoption -Shafting re-designed to - Palm Kernel Cracker -Could also crack palm ease repair and Not verified Not verified kernel maintenance -Need to increase capacity -Need to be coupled with an efficient oil press

3- The Fermentation Rack make it compact for easy, maneuverability within towns and villages. The fermentation rack was The modified portable grater model, introduced as optional accessory to Figure 20 could be loaded at the back gari processing equipment package of the motor cycle, or carried on to help improve the workplace for wheelbarrows. gari processing. It facilitates the collection of starch from bags of Further down-sizing of the grater newly grated cassava packed on top was done to use a smaller engine of the fermentation rack. such as that used in power sprayers which are available with many The fermentation rack was farmers in the moist savanna zone of appreciated and adopted Benin and Ghana. The mini-grater, immediately by processors. Based on Figure 21, was developed. It has a this principle, those who could not capacity of 200 kg of fresh cassava afford to buy devised their system by root per hour. The grater could be making elevated platform from constructed with stainless steel sheet available materials such as logs, or to prevent corrosion and wood planks. This keeps their contamination particularly when workplace neater and drier. used for crushing pineapple. 4- Root Crop Chipping Machine 2- The Cassava Mash and Gari The chipper was an exciting Sifter innovation for the farmers as it is The cassava mash and gari sifter versatile and portable. However, the was adopted almost immediately. It lack of market for dry chips in West has been one of the equipment most Africa did not allow for wider utilized by women and children; the adoption, until recently when there sifting capacity increasing three-folds is a demand in the export market. that of local flat basket and with Just so, the adoption of the chipper minimum spillage. The sifter is needs an efficient dryer to get designed for use in group operations, products to the market; leaving it a requiring users to take turns. challenge to the project. The However, users prefer to operate production of chipping plate also separately while frying gari and have hindered the wide adoption of the full control of their schedule. To machine. adapt to this situation, the sifter box The availability of cassava was modified to fit into their own processing equipment has indirectly basins eliminating the wooden influenced the implementation of collection box, thus reducing cassava multiplication programs in investment cost. Uganda, Mozambique and other East African countries, where cassava is not a major food crop. It encouraged

42 the sector to grow more cassava Farmers reported increasing which can already be processed adoption of QPM when the thresher conveniently into more durable was introduced. products such as starch and flour for In Ghana, the thresher was not which markets are now available. popular for de-husking maize 5- The Multi-crop Thresher because the maize husk is being used as food wrapper. The maize is first In the grain producing regions, the de-husked manually before it is multi-crop thresher coupled with shelled with the thresher. grain cleaner and sorter was demonstrated. The thresher can de- In Ethiopia, the thresher was husk and shell maize. It was also adopted almost immediately, initially demonstrated effective for threshing for threshing teff. In the last 2 years sorghum, millet, soybeans, mucuna the number of farmers and and teff. entrepreneurs investing and utilizing the thresher is increasing. The Despite initial interest, the thresher thresher is now being demonstrated was not adopted immediately and tested for other crops such as because of the separate cleaning maize, wheat, millet, sorghum. More mechanism which, to users, is work remains to improve the cumbersome and time consuming. cleaning mechanism applicable for This led to the development of the multiple crops. thresher with the cleaning mechanism, Figure 22, which is now The mobility of the thresher is a generating demand very quickly. feature liked by farmers. It can be Because of the bulky straws of transported even to the remotest cereals and legumes and the lack of farm where threshing can be done means to transport them, threshing eliminating the bulk which is is conveniently done on farms. The otherwise transported to central development of the donkey-drawn threshing sites. Continuing demand cart, Figure 23, facilitates moving and adoption scenarios are being the thresher from farm to farm. observed in West and East Africa. Adaptations are done by trained local The introduction of the thresher in staff. Benin inspired farmers to grow more of the Quality Protein Maize (QPM), 6- The Wet-type Grinder 'Obatanpa'. When QPM was first The wet-type grinder was introduced introduced, the farmers were happy to do most wet grinding required in because of the good quality and high many African food preparations such yield. However, they were discouraged when they found out that it is hard to shell, until the introduction of the thresher.

Fig. 20 – The portable grater is giving good income to service providers who now can reach processors in remote villages

Fig. 21 – The mini-grater opens options to process cassava and other crops

Fig. 22 –The multi-crop thresher with cleaner Fig. 23 – The donkey cart developed at STVC is eliminatethe need for a separate helping to move the thresher to the cleaner,is compact and movable farmers in their own farms

8 adaptations which improves the as mawe and ogi from maize, and profitability of their business at the soymilk from soybeans. same time satisfying the customers. Agro-processors were at first Sheanut butter production enterprise reluctant to use the machine for two is growing in Benin and Ghana but is reasons: (a) the capacity is low, and still constrained by lack of efficient (b) it is cumbersome to adjust and kneading machine. clean. The machine was modified so that the stationary disc in now fixed A soymilk processor in Ghana claims with the cover. This eliminates the that using the wet-type grinder, his tedious loosening and tightening of soymilk recovery was doubled bolts and nuts particularly when compared to his old system. In cleaning and the requirement that Ethiopia, the grinder is now a major the grinding mechanism must be component of the groundnut oil kept dry before storage. processing enterprise producing excellent butter both for direct The wet-type grinder was modified consumption, and for further (Figure 24), better appreciated and processing into oil. adopted. The users were able to find other application such as for grinding Sheanut and groundnut processors in sheanut and groundnut for butter Benin, Ghana and Ethiopia claim and oil production. Sheanut 20% gain in oil production when processors in Benin adopted the using the wet-type grinder, over the grinder and increase their sheanut traditional method. butter production. To facilitate grinding, a collaborating 7- The Grain Polisher Modified as Palm Oil Digester manufacturer, COBEMAG, coupled a nut crusher to the wet-type grinder The auger-type grain polisher using one engine drive (Figure 25). (Figure 26) was demonstrated for The nuts are chopped into smaller rice milling and polishing. The users pieces before feeding into the found it tedious because of low grinder. This increased the capacity and the need for a separate processing capacity and cleaning of milled rice. Through marketability of the equipment. This users' initiative however, the example shows trained polisher was found useful for palm manufacturers are able to handle oil digesting and palm kernel cracking. This feedback resulted in the design 8 Ogi is fermented maize starch. Maize grains of the removable and are soaked, ground, sifted, drained and formed into balls. interchangeable augers (Figure 27) for polishing and cracking, and for

45 palm oil digesting and palm kernel The shaft was re-designed to ease cracking. replacement with minimum costs. In Ghana, several units of polishers The adoption of the palm oil digester (digester) were bought and heavily demonstrated that palm oil used (10 to 14 hr per day) in 1998 production which used to be a and early part of 1999. During this backyard operation could be a period, the auger had worn out profitable family business as related extensively, and the changing of the by users in Eastern Region, Ghana. auger component takes time and delays their operation.

Fig. 24 – The improved wet-type Fig. 25 - The complexe karité with one engine grinder (R) drive

Fig. 26- The grain polisher found its way to palm oil processing yards in Ghana Fig. 27 –Augers developed for and Benin being used extensively cracking palm kernel (L) and as digester for digesting palm oil (R)

47 SECTION 6 - MONITORING THE ADOPTION OF AGRO-PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES

Agro-processing enterprises have The analysis involved the study of important role in meeting the food the demographic characteristics of requirements of both the rural and the users of the technologies and urban populace of sub-Saharan evaluating the profitability of Africa. Agro-processing must be emerging business enterprises based facilitated to make food sufficiently on selected cases. Economic decision available and reliable. To do this, tools are inferred from these improved techniques and new analyses which could be used as technologies must be introduced. guide to investment options. Investment in machinery is a critical A monitoring survey was conducted economic decision for small-holder in places where improve agro- farmers with very limited economic processing technologies were resource; therefore any machines fabricated and sold. The areas were considered must be low-cost yet selected from available versatile so that returns to manufacturers’ sales and servicing investment are realized in a short records, and project monitoring time. Agro-processing machines reports. The survey was conducted should be simple, easy to fabricate in six regions in Benin namely and repair by village artisans using Atacora, Atlantic, Boyou, Oueme, local materials. Mono, and Zou. In Ghana, the survey was conducted in seven Interventions made by the SAA-AP regions namely Greater Accra, Volta, project in the last decade generated Upper East, Central, Northern, different technological options to Eastern and Western regions. The improve and facilitate agro- percentage of respondents from each processing in the rural areas and to region is given in Table 7. help proprietors to build up a sustainable venture by developing Farmers and agro-processors, the linkages among the stakeholders. directly using the technologies, as well as farmers, who just have Varied feedback from the project knowledge about the technologies, sites required verification of the were interviewed using semi- technical, economic and social structured questionnaire. At times consequences affected by the the use of the structured interventions. While many of the questionnaire presented a problem technologies introduced were as most of the respondents neither technically efficient, issues could read nor write. associated on their economic and social consequences were analyzed.

48 Percentage distribution of respondents by region, Ghana and Benin

Ghana: Percent Benin: Percent REGIONS Distribution REGIONS Distribution 1- Greater Accra 6.4 1- Atacora 3.1 2- Volta 23.4 2- Atlantic 18.8 3- Upper East 3.6 3- Boyou 19.4 4- Central 11.7 4- Oueme 12.8 5- Northern 4.5 5- Mono 29.6 6- Eastern 30.6 6- Zou 16.3 7- Western 19.8

Africa. Traditionally, postharvest The enumerators depended on their and crop processing is a job reserved skills to gather needed information. for women and children. One hundred ninety six (196) More than 50% of the respondents respondents from Benin and 111 are female (women), and mostly respondents were interviewed in married. Since the selection was Ghana. Personal interviews were based on users of agro-processing also conducted by the authors to technologies, it can be generalized verify issues related to project that more women are involved in implementation strategy and agro-processing. This could explain technological adoption and impact. partly why investments in agro- 1- Demographic Characteristics processing machinery are low. Many of Respondents of the women do not have the capacity to invest on machines and The demographic characteristics of do not have the technical training to any target group have been known to operate and maintain them. greatly influence their adoption of any technology. Relevant However, their marital status, characteristics include gender, majority being married, signifies a marital status, occupation, farm size level of responsibility and that they and ownership, crops planted. These are stable and productive agro- characteristics determine to a large processors that will necessitate being extent their tastes, preferences and able to get access to any means of felt needs and the way they respond income to augment their main to outside interventions. occupation and improve their quality The respondents’ genders, marital of life. status, source of income and farming The main occupation of respondents profiles are shown in Table 8. in Ghana is farming with agro- Gender plays an important role in the food production in sub-Saharan

49 Demographic characteristics of respondents from Ghana and Benin (percent responding)

Ghana: Benin: DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS PERCENT PERCENT 1- Gender a. Male 45.0 22.6 b. Female 55.0 77.4 2- Marital Status a. Single 17.4 2.1 b. Married 81.7 97.9 c. Others: Widow, Separated 0.9 Nil 3- Occupation (Main source of Income) a. Farmers 60.8 24.2 b. Agro-processors 14.0 70.1 c. Others; e.g. Traders, Hunters 25.4 5.7 4- Farm Owners 84.1 83.9 5- Farm Size a. < 1 hectare 20.9 24.9 b. 1 - 2 hectares 37.2 45.9 c. > 2 hectares 41.9 29.2 6- Crops Planted a. Cassava 43.2 35.2 b. Maize 33.3 59.3 c. Others: e.g. Sorghum, Millet, Oil Palm 23.5 5.5

Sheanut butter enterprise in the processing as their secondary source northern part of Benin when of income. Many of the farmer- processing equipment became respondents are also involved in oil accessible. palm plantations. The majority of respondents in Benin are agro- Eighty four per cent (84%) of the processors, few others are farming. respondents in both countries Cassava and maize are the major reported to own and manage their food crops cultivated by the farms having an average size respondents. Consequently, cassava between 2 to 5 acres. The major and maize processing is a major crops planted by the farmers are income-generation activity in both cassava and maize which they either countries. The bigger percentage of sell or process for family agro-processor respondents in Benin consumption or for marketing. are due to the development of the

50 2- Crop Use and Marketing fully adopted; that agro-processing Practices technologies are not known; or that Farmers’ production objectives are to convenient foods are available at produce enough for consumption and lower costs. marketing. With the average crop In both countries, the quantity of production level at 3 to 5 tons crops and products stored is still very cassava per hectare, and about one meager to give a high priority for ton per hectare for most cereal development of storage facilities. grains, it is still difficult to have a Immediate intervention needed is to surplus for marketing considering expand production and provide agro- the food requirements of a farm processing technologies that will family with an average of 6 provide value-added products to members. Despite this scenario, the improve farmers’ productivity. respondents reported that their  Reasons for selling farm produce produce is allocated for consumption, and processed products processing and marketing. Farmer-respondents do not see the Table 9 shows the percentage of relevance of the law of supply and respondents’ allocation of farm demand as many of them sell their produce to the different production crops immediately after harvesting objectives. It is assumed that if the or processing when the supply is farmers could sell, or process and sell plenty and the prices are low. The more than half of their production farmers could not hold their crops to and still have the provisions for the wait for a better market price. The family, they are better off than the primary reasons given by the subsistence farmers. respondents are the need for cash to In Ghana, the farmers consumed a buy other family provisions, or lack third of their produce, sell a quarter of storage and processing facilities of it immediately after harvest and (Table 10). process part before selling.  Marketing Channel Processing is done before selling to The access to market is an important take advantage of the higher price by factor considered on deciding the value-adding. This trend suggests type and quantity of products sold or that farming and agro-processing in bought. The lack of good road and Ghana is commercially-oriented. transport system in the rural areas In Benin, many of the farmer- where most of the farms are located respondents still consume what they limits the options available to produce, seldom processing; farmers and processors on market characteristic of subsistence farmers. outlet for their produce. Implications are that production is The weekly market is the most still very low; that improve affordable option for farmers and production techniques are not yet

51 processors to trade their produce. In retailers, and among fellow farmers many cases, farmers and processors and neighbors who buy for their depend on middlemen, traders and immediate consumption (Table 11). wholesalers who come to the village, The access to good market will especially during the week markets. encourage farmer and processors to They are also able to sell their participate in market dynamics. produce to market vendors and

Percent of respondents allocating farm produce to different production objectives

PRODUCTION OBJECTIVES Ghana Benin 1- Consumed by family 35.2 83.9 2- Sold immediately after harvest 26.8 1.9 3- Processed and sold 36.6 9.3 4- Stored 1.4 4.9

Reasons for selling farm produce immediately after harvest, or after processing

REASONS FOR SELLING Ghana Benin 1- Need for cash 50.9 81.1 2- Buy other family provisions 42.4 15.9 3- Lack of storage and processing facilities 3.8 1.5 4- Others: low production, lack of market information, limited access to processing 2.8 1.5 facilities

Percent of respondents using marketing channel for farm produce and processed products

MARKETING CHANNEL Ghana Benin 1- Middlemen: Traders and Wholesalers 45.8 45.1 2- Market Vendors (Retailers) 29.0 37.9 3- Neighbours; Other farmers, etc. 25.2 17.0

52 3- Labor Input to Crop children. Using the traditional Processing methods, family labor is stressed In Africa, crop production and limiting their productivity both for processing has always employed the process and for other activities. family labor. The participation of the 4- Sources of Information on respondents to crop processing Agro-processing activities was found to be very important particularly involving When the SAA-AP project started, women and children. source of information on improve agro-processing technologies are not Labor input by family members and well-known to the users. This hired labor for processing cassava, created a gap in the development of maize and palm oil is shown in the agro-processing and Figure 28. The figures show that manufacturing industries. processing is a family venture where wife, children and husband help each The field demonstrations and the other do the tasks. Hired labor is model processing centers established also employed. The wife has a by the project are proving to be good particular task in any food crop venues to inform the target-users of processing and does the others with improve technologies, their uses and the help of the husband and children. availability. Promotional activities of collaborating manufacturers In Benin, the husband does not do provided information, and the any processing on his own but he hardware. supports the wife in the process. In Ghana, the husband has high The number of buyers and users of involvement in maize processing, the equipment within the project maize being a cash crop. Normally, sites extended to the adjacent the husband will harvest, thresh, dry villages and even to other countries. and sell the dry grains. Subsequent In addition to the program’s food processing for family promotional activities, the consumption is done by the wife and respondents reported other sources of children. information on agro-processing developments and technologies The participation of the husband in (Figure 29). Respondents in Ghana palm oil processing in Ghana is due and Benin differ in the frequency of to the difficulty of the tasks, for using these channels which could be example plucking the fruits due to accessibility and the extension (harvesting) and fruit separation, mechanism in their country. rather than the magnitude. In Benin, the wife helps the husband in fruit separation after plucking the oil palm fruit. The remaining process is done mostly by the wife and the

53 Benin Benin 11.3 16.6 Ghana Hired Labor Hired Labor 5.5 Ghana 30.2

32.5 Wife & 5.7 Wife & Children 33.3 14.3 Children

Wife & 26.6 Wife & 58.5 Husband 16.7 Husband 28.6

0 0 Husband Only Husband Only 27.8 6.3

24.5 24.3 Wife Only Wife Only 16.7 20.6

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % Respondent % Respondent

Fig. 28a – Labor input in cassava processing Fig. 28b – Labor input in maize processing

16 .8 Benin 0 Benin NGO, CDA, etc. Hired Labor 3 3 .3 23.1 Ghana Ghana

Friends; co- 1.1 Wife & 66.7 F armers 17.9 Children 38.4

0 .6 Wife & 23.8 M ass M ed ia 1.3 Husband 15.4

8 .9 0 N eig hb o rs Husband Only 16 .7 7.7

72 .6 9.5 Extension Agents Wife Only 15.4 3 0 .8

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 20 40 60 80 % Respondent % Respondent

Fig. 28c– Labor input in palm oil processing Fig. 29 – Sources of information on agro- processing

still not popular. The lack of reliable In Benin, the government extension power source in the villages could agents are active in technology explain the poor use of the media. It dissemination process, while the could also be explained by the fact community projects, in addition to that written information on agro- the work of the extension agents, is processing is still scanty as it is only helping in information transfer in very recently given attention, not to Ghana. Information is also passed mention that many of the farmers on from farmer to farmer, and among and processors are not able to read neighbors and friends. and write. Language is also a The use of mass media such as the problem as there are many dialects radio, newspapers and television is

54 spoken even within a community. associated to the process, in addition Developing extension materials will to the cost of acquiring it. Peeling is need the training of manpower to a job done by women and children. determine the type of media suitable Cassava roots are heaped, and for the different clients. peelers sit around the heaps to peel. They take this opportunity to discuss Farmers and agro-processors depend issues of common interest such as on community development personal and community programs, including the SAA-AP development issues. They are paid project, for information on by the volume of cassava they peel. developments on farming and agro- processing. Improve techniques for the critical unit operations of grating, pressing, 5- Adoption of Cassava sifting and roasting for gari Processing Technologies in processing were adopted. Improved Ghana and Benin graters have almost replaced The SAA-AP project introduced the traditional grating (rasper), which cassava processing equipment has increased the processing capacity package developed at IITA and some of the processors. The double screw selected locally-improved press was also well-adopted. The technologies. The package included sifter was well-liked by women and the peeling bay, peeling tool, cassava children but had created conflict on grater, fermentation rack, double its management. At one point it was screw press, cassava mash and gari abandoned by some processors in sifter and the improved frying stove. Benin. The project offered a solution The past decade has seen increasing by re-design the sifter for individual adoption of the technologies, either use. as a package or as separate Locally-improved technologies are component equipment, in Ghana, available in Ghana even before the Benin and other West African intervention of SAA. Ghana has countries. comparative advantage over Benin in Table 12 shows the percentage of terms of the presence of more respondents adopting improve postharvest support programs both technologies for gari processing. from the government and non- Harvesting is still very traditional governmental development using the cutlass, the project being organizations. unable to identify an efficient In the 80’s to early 90s, Benin’s mechanical harvester. The agricultural extension program improvement recommended for concentrated on promoting peeling, that is using the peeling bay, was not adopted. This can be explained by some social factors

55 Adoption of improved techniques per unit operation in cassava processing

Ghana Benin Unit Locally- IITA Locally- IITA Operations Traditional Traditional Improved Machines Improved Machines 1- Harvesting 100 0 0 100 0 0 2- Transporting 79.5 20.5 0 90.7 6.98 2.3 3- Peeling 100 0 0 97.7 0 2.3 4- Grating 2.1 19.2 78.7 1.6 0 98.4 5- Pressing 26.1 0 73.9 3.4 25.4 71.2 6- Sieving 42.5 0 57.5 82.9 0 17.1 7- Frying 68.6 25.7 5.7 57.0 43.0 0

cumbersome. The adoption was slow the production of cotton which (Table 13) but the feedback was supplied the export market. useful in the adapting the machine to However, the demand for more food users’ requirements. crops and processed foods shifted part of government’s support to crop In Ghana, the thresher was not very production and processing. Their popular for maize shelling because of collaboration in the project has been the need to get the husk in good form instrumental in bringing appropriate to be used in wrapping food for technologies to farmers and cooking. In Benin, the thresher was processors which encourage them to better adopted. produce more food crops. The wet-type grinder was also 6- Adoption of Maize Processing introduced for maize grinding such Technologies in Ghana and as for the production of mawe. Benin Because of the availability of locally- improved maize grinders, the wet- The SAA-AP project introduced the type grinder was not well- multi-crop thresher and wet-type appreciated. However, the grinder to improve processing of processors found the grinder more maize and other cereal grains. applicable and useful for Sheanut The first model of the thresher butter processing. It gained a developed at IITA was provided with widespread adoption in the northern a separate cleaner/sorter. Farmers part of Benin. found the thresher effective in de- husking and shelling maize but the separate cleaner/sorter was

56 Adoption of improved techniques by unit operation in maize processing

Ghana Benin Unit Operation Locally- IITA Locally- IITA Traditional Traditional Improved Machines Improved Machines 1- Harvesting 100 0 0 100 0 0 2- De-husking 81.8 0 18.2 77.1 0 22.9 3- Threshing 52.2 17.4 30.4 55.6 0 44.4 4- Cleaning/ 84.0 4.0 12.0 93.9 0 6.1 Winnowing 5- Drying 85.0 5.0 10.0 100 0 0 6- Grinding 5.9 76.5 17.7 7.7 92.3 0

7- Adoption of Palm Oil become widespread. According to the Processing Technologies in processors interviewed the digester Ghana and Benin has low capacity and is difficult to feed because of the height of the Palm oil is a major source of edible hopper, Figure 30. Some oil in the rural areas especially in the modifications were recommended but moist savannah belt of sub-Saharan there was no further follow-up on Africa. Small-scale processors using adoption. traditional methods are found in many villages of Ghana and Benin. Small-scale palm oil processing is Many cassava farmers have access to still dependent on traditional oil palm plantation and process their methods although big scale own palm oil for family consumption processing industries are already or for selling in the local market. operating in the region. Not many of the processors could get employed in Working with the processors, the the factories. They supply the local SAA-AP project was able to adapt a market requiring fresh oil in small grain polisher for palm oil digesting quantities. Appropriate technologies and palm kernel cracking. This was for the small-scale processors are not introduced and tested in selected sufficient to pursue their business. sites. An oil press was also devised Palm oil processing technologies and introduced with the digester. need to be developed and introduced The digester and the press were to users in order to help shift the adopted well in Ghana, Table 14. production to a commercial-scale. The respondents in Benin were not involved in palm oil processing although the digester and press were demonstrated in the village of Atok, South of Benin. Few processors adopted the package but did not

Fig. 30 – Palm oil digester was tested in Atok Village, South of Benin. The difficulty in feeding was due to the height of the machine and inadequate training of operator

8- Utilization and Management  Equipment Management Scheme of Agro-processing Equipment The machines adopted are owned and managed by individuals, groups The monitoring survey was carried or institutions either for their own out to find the extent to which processing activities, or to provide project intervention is affecting the services to processors, or both (Table ownership and management of the 15). In both countries a higher equipment that could relate to who percentage of equipment owners and actually benefits from the process processing group operate both own and the sustainability of the system. processing and custom hiring. The level of adoption of the Custom-hiring or service-providing is technologies is encouraging. One becoming a popular practice to contributing factor is the awareness manage the equipment profitably. created by the activities of the project The processors in both countries and the linkages created among patronize the practice since it allows technology-users, the manufacturers them access to the facility when they and potential funding organizations. could not afford to buy. Service providers in Ghana have up to 10 regular customers per day, during processing season. Smaller

58 percentage of processors avails of services to non-members. Group these services in Benin where ownership brings the users to invest processors prefer to own the machine collectively and benefit from it. and use it for their own processing, The wet-type grinder and the palm either individually or as a group. oil digester have been adopted by Of the agro-processing machines individual entrepreneurs or family introduced, those that have capacity business enterprises for processing to process at least one ton of raw their own produce and servicing material per day were found to have other processors in their villages. high adoption rate. These machines Institutions such as NGOs, and have high potential for creating an Universities also buy machines to: industrial-scale production. These (a) generate income, (b) provide are the more mechanized machines service to the community, and which involve high investment costs (c) demonstrate and train agro- but have capability to generate processors on improving agro- income. Subject machines are the processing operations. grater, wet-type grinder, palm oil digester and multi-crop thresher. In Ghana, NGOs and other Interestingly, the machines are development agencies are helping purchased by different interest the SAA-AP project to promote the groups for distribution to their machines using their own clients, or for demonstration and demonstration units purchased from training. the project’s collaborating manufacturers. The project staff, It was found out that some assisted by the technician supplying individual entrepreneurs (including the equipment, provides them family enterprise) are already training on operation and adopting the technology and that management. Some agencies provide management of the technologies is loan support to interested women mainly in the hands of these users. groups to purchase improved agro- Table 16 indicated that the grater processing equipment. and the multi-crop thresher are commonly owned by group of processors (women’s groups, or community) either bought through loans or donated by development organizations. The group hires an operator and the machine is used to process the produce of the members, at times, used to provide processing

59 Adoption of improved techniques by unit operation in palm oil processing

Ghana Benin Unit Operation Locally- IITA Locally IITA Traditional Traditional Improved Machines Improved Machines 1- Harvesting/ 100 0 0 100 0 0 Plucking 2- Fruit 100 0 0 100 0 0 Separation 3- Boiling 90.9 4.6 4.5 100 0 0 4- Digesting 13.6 4.6 81.8 100 0 0 5- Pressing 14.3 52.4 33.3 100 0 0 6- Kernel 42.9 28.6 28.5 100 0 0 Cracking

Percentage of respondents reporting ways of managing the agro-processing equipment

Ghana: Benin: MANAGEMENT SCHEME PERCENT PERCENT

1- Own processing 30.6 70.6 2- Custom-Hiring / Service-Providing 24.2 7.8 a) Less than 5 customers per day (< 5) 14.0 54.8 b) Five to 10 customers per day ( 5 to 10) 67.4 41.9 c) More than 10 customers per day (>10) 18.6 3.3 3- Own processing and service providing (1 & 2) 45.2 21.6

Type of ownership of different agro-processing equipment in Ghana and Benin (per cent of recorded sale)

INDIVIDUAL GROUP INSTITUTIONAL TYPE OF OWNERSHIP OWNERSHIP OWNERSHIP EQUIPMENT Ghana Benin Ghana Benin Ghana Benin ● Grater 36.7 34.5 40 62.1 23.3 3.5 ● Wet-type - 11.1 75.0 88.9 25.0 - Grinder ● Palm Oil 53.8 50.0 38.5 50.0 7.7 - Digester ● Multi-crop 38.5 35.3 46.2 58.8 15.4 5.9 Thresher

60 9- Feedback on Recommended big constraint in the adoption of Improved Agro-processing technologies introduced earlier. Technologies For many women processors, the The users’ feedback to the project ease of operation and maintenance is team, through their local extension also an advantage, more than the agents and country coordinators, cost. They can now operate the allowed the project team to machines without much dependence assimilate information to improve on their husbands or operators which the performance of the technologies means that they can have full control and adapt the technologies to local of their own businesses. conditions for better adoption rate. Improve process allows them to add- The respondents in Ghana and Benin value to their products that could gave their views on the advantages demand better prices in the market. and disadvantages of the Good quality products from the technologies over their current improve process has definitely system and what they think is right allowed them access to good quality for their operations based on their food for the family and opened capacity. A set of recommended opportunity for them to compete in amendments to technologies was also the market. given by the user-respondents. Social benefits, as increasing time  Advantages of the agro-processing with family, and participation in equipment community activities, is being The adoption of improved agro- recognized as benefit derived from processing technologies in Ghana increasing agro-processing activity and Benin can be attributed to the due to the adoption of improved simple design, make and operational technologies. requirement of the technologies.  Disadvantages of the agro- processing equipment The respondents from Ghana and Benin have similar views on the Equally important feedback from advantages of the agro-processing user-respondents is the technologies introduced by the disadvantages of the technologies project ranked by importance in which could hinder their full Table 17. Respondents indicated adoption. This information had that time-savings is the most helped the project team to stratify its important benefit they get from the activities and feedback to the use of the technologies. Equally technology designers to develop important to processors is the technologies that will be more availability of the machine, and adoptable to the target-users. associated services. This has been a Technology user-respondents from Ghana and Benin ranked the

61 disadvantages of the equipment technologies introduce by the SAA- differently, Table 18. In Ghana, AP project. It is important to train technology-users see that spare parts users and operators in order that must be available in sufficient they can better understand the quantity at anytime, while it did not proper operation and management of seem to bother users in Benin. The the technologies. This will help them strong support of the government to appreciate the technologies and use the local manufacturing industry in them to their full advantage. Benin, through the collaborating The source of fund to finance manufacturers’ network gave them establishment of agro-processing confidence that spare parts can be enterprises needs to be identified and source and made available made accessible to the processors. accordingly. The farmers and agro-processors are The lack of some component still economically constrained to equipment in a technology package, invest in machinery. Financing as for the package for the production institutions will help them to start of Sheanut butter, hinders the full their businesses. development of agro-processing to a Mobility of the technologies is a commercially viable income- feature that is liked most by the generating venture. This will justify technology-users. Crops are a continuing research and produced in remote farms and development project that could help villages where the road and to source and package appropriate transport system is still not technological options to processors. developed. Secondly, agricultural High initial and maintenance costs products are mostly bulky and should be looked into by further perishable. Processing should adaptation to make use as much as therefore be done at the production possible of all local materials, and sites. An important lesson of the sourcing the equipment locally. SAA-AP project is to develop Breakdowns and maintenance machines that could go to the target- problems should improve through users, hence most of the technologies continued training on operation and developed and recommended are maintenance. Continuing usage will compact, light weight allowing also develop the skill of the operators mobility but not sacrificing the and improve the performance. capacity and quality. Problems on

 Recommendations to facilitate the operation, repair and maintenance adoption of agro-processing reported by users such as proximity equipment of services, lack of training on proper The user-respondents forwarded operation and management of the three major recommendations (Table equipment are guiding the project 19) to facilitate the adoption of the team to re-orient its training

62 strategy. Result of the survey site to another because of availability underscores the importance of of raw materials. This makes regular monitoring visits particularly reconciling sales record from by the manufacturer to check on the manufacturers with utilization conditions of the machines and record difficult. provide necessary repair and services. There are cases where machines are being moved from one

Respondents’ view on the advantages of the agro-processing equipment introduced by the SAA-AP program

Ghana Benin ADVANTAGES OF THE MACHINES Rank % Rank % Saves time 1 23.6 1 21.5 Good quality of products 2 22.6 5 13.3 Locally available 3 15.1 2 20.0 Less worry to deterioration losses 4 11.3 4 14.4 Encourage increased production 4 11.3 8 3.6 Ease of operation and maintenance 5 7.6 3 15.4 Allows production of other marketable products 6 3.8 6 6.7 Fosters co-operation among family members and 6 3.8 9 1.0 the community Low investment costs 7 0.9 7 4.1

63 Respondents view on the disadvantages of the agro-processing equipment introduced by the SAA-AP program

Ghana Benin DISADVANTAGES OF THE MACHINES Rank % Rank % Spare parts not readily available 1 21.7 7 2.1 Lack of package component 2 21.7 3 15.9 High investment costs 3 16.1 2 19.5 Frequent breakdown 4 16.0 6 8.2 High cost of maintenance 5 13.2 4 15.4 Limited capacity 6 10.4 5 9.2 Cumbersome to operate and maintain 7 0.9 1 29.7

Respondents’ recommendations to improve the adoption agro-processing technologies introduced by the SAA-AP project

Ghana Benin RECOMMENDATIONS Rank % Rank % Increase capacity 1 32.1 2 8.7 More training on operation and maintenance 2 28.3 1 47.7 More access to funding and lending 3 23.6 3 7.9 institution Reduce capacity to reduce investment 4 7.5 5 1.6 Limiting the number of users 5 5.7 4 2.6 Improving mobility of equipment 6 2.8 6 1.5

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Thanks to the inputs of Ms. Bose, IITA Research Associate (Agricultural Economics) in collating the survey data.

SECTION 7.1 - ADOPTION AND UTILIZATION OF IMPROVED AGRO-PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES-CASES IN BENIN

Fig. 31 - Sheanut butter processing using the complexe karité has been developing into a profitable business enterprise in Benin

Agro-processing is gaining Sheanut butter processing is a family recognition in Benin when income business using traditional methods. from cotton farming could not Sheanut butter has a big market provide for the food demand. potential. The demand for Sheanut Farming food crops was encouraged butter in Africa as well as Europe is by the availability of improved increasing. Improve techniques will technologies through the work of the enable the processors to supply the SAA-AP project. market with the right quality and quantity Since cassava is a major food crop, processing it is a main activity The work of the SAA-AP program especially for women who use provided options to farmers to traditional methods which are slow expand their food crop farming and and cumbersome. Maize is another enable value-adding to their crops food crop for which not many through processing to more durable processing technologies are available. and marketable forms. Technology- The project also observed that rice is users, processors and manufacturers becoming an important staple in the were interviewed to learn of the diets of the people of Benin. benefits they derived form adopting Although rice production is still the improve technologies (refer also small and specific to a region, it was to Annex 2). necessary to help farmers with improved postharvest equipment to 1- Benefits from Improved Agro- Processing Technologies encourage them to grow more and supply the requirements in the local In general, the women and other market. processors claim that the improve processing reduce the drudgery of the once cumbersome processing. The

65 processors appreciate better the per day or an average income of benefits from processing because CFA10,000 (approx $20 per day) for they are able to earn money in Mr. Amadu. Many customers are addition to providing good quality availing of the services because of the food for the family. good quality of resulting milled rice. The introduction of improved cassava Sheanut butter processors likewise processing equipment in the villages expressed their satisfaction with the of Benin presented good opportunity improved machines, the Sheanut to improve strategy for technology Complex (complexe karité), design and transfer. The benefits are introduced by the project and are varied depending on situations and happy of the direct benefits that objectives of the processors. come to their families. The machine

 Increasing Capacity and Income in Baká now keeps the women busy. The women realize that what they The model processing center used to do manually is now an established by the SAA-AP project in income- generating activity. They Agodenou Village, Carder Atlantic is process Sheanut into butter twice a being operated and managed by the week and still have more time to Gbezealo Women Group. The women spend with their families, or process claim gari processing pays. The more. The facility is teaching the facility is helping the community women how to earn income. In process their food and provide them a addition to the Sheanut Complex, the major source of income. group plans to purchase cassava The former operator of grater of the processing machines and also learn Gbezealo group saw the increasing methods of processing dawa-dawa (a demand for grating services. He fermented condiment from locust invested in a grater privately while beans). continuing to assist the Gbezealo The increasing income from women. He now provides grating processing Sheanut butter enable services to the other processors and them to feed their families, send is able to improve his family’s living their children to school and provide standard from his income. better medical care for the family. Adopting the IITA-designed rice mill, They also get additional capital to Mr. Amadu provides milling services buy raw materials during the peak to customers competing with the harvest season. They could now other 4 conventional rice mills in the process and store their products to village. In less than one year, he is wait for a good price in the market. servicing up to 30 customers per day The maize thresher proved to be very operating at least 2-3 days in a week. useful in maize farms in Atomey and This translates to an average milling Lokokoukoume Villages in Ouémé capacity of 1.0 to 1.5 tons milled rice Department. What farmers used to

66 thresh for 5 months could now be also come to use the facility because threshed in 2 months, though still of the good quality of butter. constrained by cleaning. With the  Employment Generation and Job thresher, they can now program their Creation operations to wait for a favorable Using traditional methods, the scale market price. of processing could only cater to  Value-Adding and Improving family food production. Adoption of Quality of Products improved technologies makes Processing adds value to the product processing an attractive enterprise which can command higher price in that creates job and employment for the market. The Gbezealo Women the rural populace. Group takes pride of their good A new cassava processing center is quality gari. The President of the being established in Toui Village Group, Mrs. Abassi Houton, says ‘our along the Cotonou-Parakou Road. It good quality gari made us famous. is equipped with a grater, two Many customers from the double-screw presses and a frying neighboring villages and, as far as shed for four operators. The center Cotonou, come to the center to buy employs 6 women who fry gari daily. our gari. We charge higher price for Additional workers are hired on our first class gari. The customers casual basis to harvest and bring are satisfied.’ Hence, improving and cassava to the site. maintaining the quality has been the focus of their processing since 2003. Mr. Hessou George is a retired civil servant turned farmer- entrepreneur. Sheanut processing by women groups He farms cassava, maize, and oil in northern Benin had developed to a palm in Hinvi Village, Atlantic more commercial scale after the Department. He realized that adoption of improved technologies. farming is not good without During peak harvest season, the processing. He put up his gari women buy as much Sheanut as they processing facility within his can which they store to keep their farmstead equipped with 6 frying business going during the lean stoves, a grater and a press. He months when the price of Sheanut hires workers to fry gari for him butter is also higher. which his family sells in the local The women are happy with the market. In order to optimize the use quality and quantity of butter of the grater to increase his income, produced from the machines. The he moves it around the village to butter is very fine which easily yields service other processors who could oil reducing the kneading time and not bring their cassava to his increasing oil recovery. Other farmstead. processors, who are non-members,

The former grater operator of the and sifter to enable them to improve Gbezealo group in Agodenou village their processing methods. The saw the increasing demand for facilities allow them to process the grating services. He invested in a produce from their farms and still grater privately while continuing to buy more cassava from the local assist the Gbezealo women. He now market. The processing business provides grating services to the other proved to be profitable; other processors and is able to improve his processing groups were formed family’s living standard from his following the success of the initial income. group. In 2002, they acquired a 2nd grater through a loan from a Women groups operating the government program. complexe karité for Sheanut butter processing employ an operator to  Enhanced Leverage to assist in operation and maintenance Development Funds of the facility. The operators are Improved agro-processing has shown paid for the services rendered. increasing capacity and income to

 Group Members Invest Collectively processors. However the expansion could not be sustained unless Considering the limited resources of sufficient fund to purchase improve processors, collective investment equipment is made available. The provides them opportunity to own SAA-AP program linked the and manage improved agro- processors to institutions that could processing machines. In 1998, six provide funds to interested groups. women processors in Eni Village Many adopters were noted to have grouped to avail of a loan to acquire a been granted loans because of their package of cassava processing self-help and initiative to improve equipment provided through a rural their operations. development project by IRCOD, a French NGO. The members put up IRCOD, a French NGO, supports their share including water and projects for the improvement of gravel towards the construction of a women agro-processors which started store and a machine shed, and the in 1993. The support consists of a land where the facility will be loan to enable women to purchase installed. The new facility had their needed equipment. IRCOD helped them to increase their developed a working relationship capacity. They get raw materials with COBEMAG as a result of the from farmers in the village and even field demonstrations conducted by from markets as far as 4 km away. the SAA-AP project. Groups applying for funds are introduced to The Bobonsou Women Group COBEMAG for equipment selection. realized that farming cassava does not pay unless it is processed. In In 2000, IRCOD, provided credit to 1998, the group bought grater, press the Taki-Sari Women Group in

Sirarou Village to buy a 2nd grater use the facilities for their own and press set because they processing but also extend grating demonstrated interest and hard and pressing services to the work. The group was provided by processors within the village and the the SAA-AP program a grater and neighboring villages. sifter, on loan. The women used the The Massitohou Women Group in facilities and saw the business was Aligoudou Village is a beneficiary of good. It encouraged them to work a government program helping harder and in one year they were women to increase their income. The able to repay their loan. program taught the women to The Ministry of Rural Development improve gari processing and also donated to the group a single introduced them to processing screw press to the group in fritters from cassava starch. They recognition of their hard work. were also given a cassava grater, on credit. As the women adopted gari Other groups, the Borignindou processing using the improved Women Group in Tourou Village and techniques, they requested the Sodom’se Women Group in CARDER program to provide them Korobororou Village were provided an additional grater, for which they loans by IRCOD to acquire and were given the IITA-designed grater. install relevant processing In addition they also received a equipment. The women worked hard double screw press and a fermenting and were able to payback in 14 stand which they found very useful. months. Because of their good repayment record, IRCOD recently The rice millers of Boké walked 2 km donated a bread-baking facility to the to the next village to wait for their group. turn to mill their rice. When lucky they could return to their village The Dagbe Bamide Women Group in with their milled rice within 4 to 6 Avakpa received a generous donation hours. Else, they have to go back the of rural infrastructures including next day, or use their mortar and agro-processing machines from the pestle. This was the scenario not long African Development Fund (ADF) in ago before they acquired their own 1999. A social worker from the rice mill. Ministry of Women Affairs in Allada identified the group and recognized The Nanayé women group of Boké their hard work and self-help village realized that their rice development initiative processing activity, although small in recommending them for the ADF scale, is giving them more income benefit. The group was provided with and has good potential to develop processing shed, 1 grater with petrol into a business. Through the help of engine, 4 double screw presses, a Missionary Nun of a Catholic frying stoves and water well. They Church from France, the Nanaye

women group acquired a rice mill.  Private entrepreneurs helping to Besides milling their rice, 10 to 15 provide access to improve technologies customers and processors come to use the mill on Fridays, day before Women processors who do not have the market day. the capacity to pay for the machine depend on private entrepreneurs who The complexe karité in Baká was can provide services in their own donated to the community by the yard. The number of private Catholic Relief Church (CRC), an entrepreneurs providing agro- American-based NGO dealing with processing services is increasing and Health and Social Welfare. The benefiting from it. The women prefer Antisua Women Group is the this kind of arrangement. It frees primary beneficiary of the machines. them from the problems of machine The women first saw the machine in operation and maintenance keeping Koroborourou Village, about 3 km them focused in their processing. away, which they informed the social-worker from CRC. The An entrepreneur from Savé Village, community helped to put up the central Benin, comes to provide housing for the machines as their grating service to the women group contribution. in their processing site along the Cotonou-Parakou road from 4:00 In 1997, the CREP of Atomey with o’clock in the afternoon. When done, about 300 farmer-members acquired he leaves the grater in the site but a thresher with a manually-operated bring home the engine. Machine grain cleaner/ sorter for use by the fabricators provide the same services group and the other maize farmers in as part of their promotional activity. the community. Atomey Village in Mono Department is reached only Mr. Boni Hubert, an auto-mechanic through a very rough road almost in Borone Village, Tchaourou Town, un-passable on rainy days. invested in a portable cassava grater demonstrated by the SAA AP. He The thresher was very useful to the does not process gari himself but saw farmers which saved their crops from it as an opportunity to help the deterioration such that two other people in his village while at the CREP groups in the nearby villages same time earn his income. bought the thresher with cleaner. One individual entrepreneur also Mr. Boni carries his grater around bought one thresher which adds up the village at the back of his to the threshing capacity in the motorbike. He can service for up to village, yet they need more. 35 customers or a service capacity of up to about one ton cassava per day.

Providing grating service had improved Mr. Boni’s social status and has earned him sufficient

70 income. Likewise, the women benefit business. The lack of funds among from the arrangement as it allows the processors however encouraged them to program their gari and them to invest collectively on tapioca production effectively. improved technologies to help in their operations. Group ownership of A young entrepreneur bought one processing equipment could create unit of the multi-crop thresher from management conflict. The conflict, if COBEMAG. Because of the mobility not resolved, could result to of the thresher, he thought he could abandonment of the facility and help the farmers by providing waste of investment. Group threshing services. He started to management requires a good move around the farms and villages supervisor who will guide the with his thresher. The farmers farmers and processors in their patronized the threshing service farming and processing activities and which provided good income and help them to understand the popularity to the owner-operator. profitability of their activities. The maize farmers come to him to schedule their operations. He During project monitoring visits, maintains his thresher and engine processors are often concerned with regularly keeping it in good condition conflicts and management issues all the time. more than the technical performance of the machines. Based on this experience, another 5 units of the thresher were bought by A cassava processing group in Savé other entrepreneurs about 250 km (a village in Central Benin) received North of Parakou and are being used a grater and a press from a rural to provide service to farmers and development NGO. They however processors. could not cope with the operation and management requirements causing 2- Conflicts and Management them to give up on the machines. A Issues service-provider helped the group to Agro-processing is starting to emerge carry-on their processing business. as a profitable business but needing The arrangement freed the women of a lot of expert advice to make it the troubles of managing the sustainable. Most processors do not machines which enabled them to have formal training on business concentrate in their processing management and also lacking activities. Other groups hire a man technical training to operate the to operate the grater and to help machines efficiently. them to keep track of their Funding is a big constraint as processing activities, but keeping the investment on machinery is a big business under their control. economic decision for the small-scale Draining the effluent from cassava processors wishing to start the processing created an environmental

71 concern and could result in conflict increasing demand for machine among villagers in Sirarou Village, services and prefer to keep the Boyou Department. Many ownership and management of processing sites with increased machine to their group. They plan to capacities experienced the difficulty buy a second unit which they can put of draining the effluent. This could up in the nearby village so that they contaminate the source of water can help the processors save time in supply, example a deep well, close by, carrying their crops to their village or affect the plant cover where the for processing. effluent water drains. A serious The Manager of the CREP of mitigation case happened in Sirarou Atomey, Mr. Aklan Justin, informed Village, Borgou Department (Benin) that their group trained and where a deep-well close to the employed 2 operators who are paid processing center was abandoned due from the proceeds of threshing to contamination. Locating the services provided. They also cassava processing center is critical appointed a management committee and requires a good drainage system. to manage the facility. The farmers Group management of thresher in found the profitability of agro- Atomey Village presented the processing and encouraged to following constraints: increase production and processing of food crops. CREP plans to give loan  Conflict in scheduling of work, to individuals instead of the groups  Decision-making is slow, and to buy agro-processing equipment.  Repair and maintenance is not Increasing production also created a done on time. problem to find market. For Sheanut These constraints are not confined to butter, IRCOD is helping to advertise thresher-use. Other groups reported their clients to advertise their similar incidences which resulted products by displaying and selling from poor coordination and weak their products in Boutique la Qualité management. in Parakou. However, using the Sheanut The rice mills in Boké and Mani Complex by the Borignindou Women Villages although found very Group in Tourou Village did not effective, has not been operational present the same problem. They because of conflict in management. hired an operator although the In each village, the women group members themselves are able to operated the machines for three operate the machine. They share months but they stopped when the their benefits to the other processors operator left. The group is now who are non-members by allowing making arrangements to find a new them access to the machines. They operator. This can happen with lack see the business very promising with of training and know-how on the part

72 of the owner when they become servicing of the same machines. The dependent on outside help to manage trainings improve the skills of their their resources. For most women, technicians who now provide good this hinders their capacity to expand training for operators on machine their businesses. operation and maintenance.

3- Equipment Manufacturing The recognition of the government and Servicing given to the Manufacturer’s Network (Réseau F.M.T.A.) formed among the The increasing demand for improved collaborating manufacturers in agro-processing equipment in Benin Benin, shows the government’s necessitates that they are locally commitment and confidence for the available and the associated services supply of good quality locally-made are accessible. The manufacturers’ machines. The Ministry of Industry network, Réseau F.M.T.A is now the supported selected technicians of the main supplier of agro-processing network to undergo refresher equipment in Benin. Other local training in Tunisia in 2004 to manufacturers are also copying the upgrade their skill. Recently, the machines and selling them. network has been tasked by the The role of local manufacturers is Ministry to participate in planning very crucial in the success of the the Mechanization Program of the operation of improve agro-processing country which is to be funded by technologies. The women are not Food and Agriculture Organization worried about machine breakdown. (FAO). The presence of the manufacturers Mr. Erasme added that the makes them confident that any program’s monitoring activity had needed repair and maintenance is help them realize the importance of easily attended by their technicians. after-sales service to maintain good They are willing to pay the costs of customer-relation and help these services. processors optimize the use of their  Réseau F.M.T.A. machines. Through this activity, Whannou Erasme, President of COBEMAG, as well as the other Réseau F.M.T.A. and General members of the network, gained a Manager of COBEMAG relate the reputation as ‘manufacturer of good benefits gained by the network quality equipment’. ‘Policy-makers members as partner of the SAA-AP and major government and non- program. The program provides government rural development information on design of reliable programs come to us for advice for post-harvest and agro-processing the supply of required equipment’, he equipment appropriate for local added. processors. It provides associated Their involvement in the project also training on manufacturing and enabled them to participate in local,

73 regional and international trade fairs processing machines. Fabrication opening up to more markets and and sales of agro-processing earned them various recognitions equipment were added to their and awards for quality fabrication. mandate which augment the company’s financial resource. In the case of COBEMAG, the C.F.T.S. is active in the production of linkage to potential customers cassava processing equipment, multi- through the project increased their crop thresher and palm oil processing sales and income. The sales of agro- equipment. processing equipment which used to be 10% of the total income of the APROMAH equipped with company now contribute at least information from technology users 30%. has been developing new technologies, for example the The program had also sensitized groundnut sheller and recently palm COBEMAG management to make oil processing equipment, helping the modifications on machine designs to project meet requirements for adapt to local conditions. appropriate technologies. COBEMAG now puts more emphasis on product development to improve The activities of the manufacturers’ their business. For example, when network are well recognized. The the wet-type grinder was introduced project continues to seek more for Sheanut butter production, they alliances to strengthen the network noticed that the processors need to in terms of sharing information and crush the nuts into smaller pieces for resources. A manufacturer, more effective grinding. They then CEFACOM (Centre de Formation de adapted a nut crusher with the wet- Fabrication et d’Ajustage en type grinder. This increased the Construction Métallique) joined the adoption of the system, now known network in 2003. It has a well- to processors as the complexe karité equipped workshop which could (Sheanut Complex). As they support fabrication of complicated continue to relate with the customer, machine parts and training of they are now developing a kneader to technicians. be included in the Sheanut The biggest challenge now faced by processing complex. the collaborating manufacturers is CAMEMEC supplies a major portion funding the activities of the network. of the demanded gari processing Mr. Erasme observes that equipment and benefits from agricultural machinery business is providing repair and maintenance difficult because farmers and services to equipment-users. processors can’t afford to buy them. C.F.T.S. which used to be a Agro-processing and the introduction vocational training institute recently of improved equipment are new in added a fabrication unit for agro- Africa and therefore we need to work

74 harder in terms of reaching the His experiences in COBEMAG help customers. him to adapt designs thru association

 Roadside Fabricators with the customer and testing. He said the business is good but the A grater similar to IITA-design was processors do not have the cash to spotted in front of a roadside pay for machines. mechanical workshop operated by the ‘Welder from Kere’ on the To the East of Benin along the Cotonou-Parakou Road in Glazoué national road, a metal workshop in District. His son returned from Hagoumé, Dogbo, the Ets – AFM, training in C.F.T.S. and fabricated a displays small-scale agro-processing grater and a double screw press machines such as graters which look which he used to demonstrate to like a down-sized model of the IITA- processors and provide grating designed grater. The owner, Mr. services in the village. This Vlavo Job, is a welder trained in promotional activity is helping the Azové and in Parakou. He copied the processors and has boosted his IITA-graters which were brought to business. his shop for repair because of the increasing demand. He has also Located farther up the Cotonou- adopted the screw presses in his Parakou Road, in Savé District, the product line which was initially Atelier et Service de Formation repairing door and window grills. He (SOCOMÉ), lines up its agro- resorted to downsizing the machines processing machines for sale. Not in to keep the cost low so that the the line of prototypes on display, but customers can afford them. seen on the billboard, are the drawings of the IITA-designed grater 4- Technology Design and and double press. The owner, Mr. Development Homer Onidje, a welder turned The regular monitoring of the entrepreneur, is a former staff of adoption and utilization of improved COBEMAG and then of Songhaï, an agro-processing technologies international NGO for rural provided useful design information to development. Encouraged by the adapt the design to users’ needs, as sales of agro-processing machines he well as improve technology transfer. saw in COBEMAG, he established his own workshop. He now sells the Mr. Boni’s operation has provided a IITA- designed grater, and adapted good feedback on the design and the double screw press to be more utility of the portable grater portable and affordable. The resulting in a simpler grater with the modified press sold quickly. He collapsible legs so it can fit keeps his business running by conveniently at the back of the fabricating anything the customers motorcycle, or carried with wheel ask. barrows. His mobile grating service

75 also developed a strategy for private Sheanut butter production using the entrepreneurs to make grating a wet-type grinder only did not appeal profitable farm enterprise. much to the processors. This The experience of Mr. Amadu has highlighted the need for a system- confirmed the technical viability of approach to technology development, the rice mill. Based on this, and packaging technologies for COBEMAG, in collaboration with the specific production objective. local manufacturers in Guinea COBEMAG was quick to adopt a nut fabricated and successfully crusher to couple with the wet-type demonstrated 3 units of the rice mill grinder which facilitated the in Guinea. This has remedied the adoption of the improved technique. problem reported on the IITA-design The immediate concern of the group which was introduced there earlier. to improve their kneading operation is being addressed by collaborating

manufacturers.

SECTION 7.2 –

ADOPTION AND UTILIZATION OF IMPROVED AGRO-PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES: CASES IN GHANA

Fig. 32 - Palm oil processing enterprise using improved techniques is a growing agro-business in Eastern Region of Ghana

cases for different machines The Ministry of Agriculture in highlights impact on income, women Ghana has been supporting empowerment, technology design and programs on agricultural machinery sustainability. A case of improving research and development through social status due to increasing its Agricultural Engineering Services processing activities is highlighted by Division (AESD) and advocates the a processor in Eastern Region. Other improvement of women’s welfare cases of technology adoption in through the Women in Agricultural Ghana are found in Annex 3. Development (WIAD). Its programs include introduction of food 1- Benefits from Improved Agro- processing and postharvest Processing Technologies technologies, among others. The The SAA-AP program established the presence of international model processing center in Abodom development organizations in the Bomso Village in Kade District, country also helps to disseminate Eastern Region of Ghana because of information on improve technologies. the opportunity to demonstrate In Ghana, current enterprises multi-crop processing. It is located in providing income to farmers and the humid savanna zone where a agro- processors are gari processing, variety of crops are grown. The maize production and palm oil village is accessible to main roads processing. Increasing the scale of and major markets. production using improve techniques The model processing center served could make these enterprises more as a showcase for improved profitable. processing and value-added products. The SAA-AP program introduced It was equipped with the gari agro-processing technologies for the processing equipment package very discerning clients. Adoption (grater, press, fermenting rack,

sifters and improved stoves), the and her husband, decided to add a multi-crop thresher, wet-type grinder grating machine in their utilities for (to process maize, beans and rent when they saw the compact soybeans), and a palm oil digester. grater demonstrated by the SAA-AP program. The gari processing package was well-adopted. The other processing Grating service in the market is not equipment was not fully adopted very common and therefore quickly because they did not match well with attracted the attention of many the users’ current needs and women and processors. Since then, requirements. Farmers and at least 20 regular customers come to processors are yet to be sensitized on grate cassava daily. Each customer the economic importance of value- could bring from 5 to 500 kg cassava adding for the other crops because of at any one time. Mrs. Osei said that lack of market or lack of access to it. about 50% of her daily income is

 Increasing Capacity and Income contributed by the grating services. The women in Abodom Bomso In less than a year, Mrs. Nkuduo is Village adopted the gari processing producing gari more than enough to package and developed their gari sell in the local market using her business which used to be a backyard grater and press. She expanded her process for family consumption. market by supplying a school in Marketing the processed cassava Kumasi and started to send some of (gari) gave them additional income her gari to markets in Mali. She which enables them to support their plans to explore more the potential of children in school and other family this market. needs. They now supply a big Gari processing is now a main proportion of the gari requirement in business of the Adade family in Kade District and partly in Greater Mampong. Before, Mrs. Lydia Adade Accra. used to go to the next village to grate With increasing processing capacity, a small quantity (approx 50-60 kg) of the women now require a bigger cassava then bring back to her house capacity machines. In addition to for further processing to gari. Now gari, the women also process cassava the processors come to her place to dough. Recently, it has acquired a grate and work for a fee. With her palm oil digester and started time saved from bringing her cassava processing oil. to the next village and queuing to use the small grater, she now has Mrs. Rose Osei, sells various more than double her processing provisions and operates grinding capacity. She used to bring her gari machines providing services to to sell in Mampong market but now women coming to Mampong market people come to her place to buy it. to process food for their families. She

Mrs. Adade also uses her facility to St. Michael Processing Plant because provide grating service to other it is fine, has less lumps, and well processors in the village. Mrs. roasted therefore can keep longer, Adade’s yard has since been very and also swells better than other gari busy particularly from 4:00 o’clock in produced in the village. Because of the afternoon daily and the whole the good quality of gari, the plant is day on Saturdays when women bring supplying gari not only to individuals their cassava not only for grating, but also to the national prison and but for peeling, pressing and even the schools in the community. frying. There are at least twelve The Yawso Women Group, who customers who come regularly to recently acquired a gari processing grate and press cassava in Mrs. package, noticed that good gari Adade’s place. The Adade’s attracts buyers. They don’t need to relationship with the people in the bring their gari to sell in the market village as well as their social status because customers come to buy from had improved. Mrs. Adade is being them directly. Some farmers also helped by her husband and children. contract their services to process The daughter is identified in their their cassava to gari or other forms school with good gari. of food products such as flour or Agro- processing business is picking dough. With the new machines, they up which brings increase income to are now able to connect to the the farm families their way of life. market. Processors adopting improve Cassava processors using grating techniques report that they are now service in Mampong market are very able to send their children to school, happy with the fine mash produced provide for better food and have more by the IITA-designed grater. This time to together. quality is preferred for gari  Value-Adding and Improving production. If the cassava is to be Quality of Products processed to dough, the grater Many processors and their customers facilitates the process. The grated claim that gari produced using the cassava is passed through the improved process has superior hammer mill which saves about 50% quality. The customers are willing to of the time required using the pay for the cost of good gari. The hammer mill alone. Furthermore, gari produced by Mrs. Adade’s grater the texture of the product is superior. sells quickly because ‘it tastes fine,  Employment Generation and Job not pasty, well dried and light’, she Creation claims. Mr. Paul Amoah is an innovator and Customers in Badua Village, technician. He developed and Eastern Region also expressed operated a portable cassava grating preference for gari produced at the machine powered with a 1-Hp diesel

79 engine which he got from a backpack Mrs. Janette Jima Kesse, a retired sprayer. He provided grating bank officer, invested on processing services to the processors in his machines she witnessed in one of the village and neighboring villages. He field demonstrations by the SAA-AP either goes around the village with project. She now owns and operates his machine mounted at the back of the Josma Agro-processing Ltd. in his bicycle, or customers come to Wuraso Village, Mampong District, their house to grate. Mampong District, Ashanti Region. The plant is processing cassava into Mr. Amoah’s contribution to the gari gari, starch and flour and employs a processing business is noble and work force of 25 staff from the innovative. He said that providing village. access to machines to small-scale gari processors is one way to help Mrs. Abena Nkuduo is processing them grow their businesses. At the gari since she was young. She same time it gives him income. depended on grating services provided by some operators in town The St. Michael Catholic Church’ until she saw the grater and other Processing Plant in Bodua Village agro-processing machines was established to provide good food demonstrated by the SAA-AP project for the church members. It is staff in 2003. She thought the equipped with 2 sets each of grating machines are small, portable and machine with bagging stand, double affordable enough to own. She screw press, sifters, concrete washing bought the grater and the double and fermenting tanks and improved screw press and added 4 traditional stoves/fryers producing gari and frying stoves. Her gari frying facility tapioca regularly. It employs 12 is located in her backyard near the regular staff: 2 men operating the market. She processes her own gari machines and 10 women doing other for sale and provides grating service unit operations such as peeling and to other processor in the community. frying. The business is now the family’s Processors around Abodom Bomso major income source which they use village were given access to the gari to buy their family provisions and processing facilities in the center. pay the school fees. It is also Women are now engaged in providing regular employment to 4 processing ands sells gari which is women processors and additional now their regular source of income. helpers who are hired during peak One processor in the nearby village season. purchased a set of the same Gari processing is now the main equipment and provides processing business of the Adade family in services in her village which is Mampong. Before, Mrs. Lydia Adade providing regular income for her used to go to the next village to grate family.

80 a small quantity (approx 50-60 kg) of To facilitate delivery, GRATIS cassava then bring back to her house Foundation assigned fabrication to for further processing to gari. After its regional branches. The Technical she bought her grater, the processors Team of the GRATIS Foundation come to her place to grate and work provided demonstration and training for a fee. to operators and users of the

 Group Members Invest Collectively machines upon delivery. The ‘Ekwafo Angfa Amma Yebuada’  Private entrepreneurs helping to provide access to improve Women Group in Yawso Krobo technologies Village, Mampong District, Ashanti Mrs. Adade provides grating services Region formed to avail of a bank loan to processors in her village. Mrs. to purchase cassava processing Boatima Aduwa is a gari processor machines to increase their gari and a regular customer to the Adade processing capacity. The gari family. She lives in the next village processing equipment package they but prefers to grate in Mrs. Adade’s acquired includes a grater, double compound because of the good screw press, fermenting stand and quality of grated cassava and she sifter. The machines were installed enjoys the social atmosphere in the in an open shed provided by the compound while processing. Mrs. leader of the group. Five traditional Aduwa favors the arrangement frying stoves were also constructed in because she could not afford to buy the same shed. With continuing use her own machine. She said that she and more training, the women will be will continue to patronize service- able to use the facility to their full providers because it keeps her benefit. business steady and worry-free from  Enhanced Leverage to operational management of the Development Funds machines. The Ministry of Women and Mr. Emmanuel Obeng Pare is a Children’s Affairs of Ghana, retired civil servant proving to be a collaborating very closely with the successful farmer - entrepreneur. SAA-AP program, adopted the gari After retiring from his office, he processing package being promoted bought an oil palm plantation where, by the program. It contracted the in 1999, he also set-up medium-scale GRATIS Foundation in 2002 to palm oil processing plant in Apremso manufacture 200 sets of gari Village, Aburi Town, Akuapim South processing machines for 13,000 District, Eastern Region. The plant is women farmers’ groups in the equipped with palm fruit digesters country. Each group was given loans and double screw presses of the IITA- by the Ministry to expand their gari design. In addition, improved oil- business.

81 separation pits, stoves and boilers gari for the low market price. It were also put in place. however continues to operate to serve the church members and the The plantation and processing plant community. is known to villagers as the `Nana Koffi Pare Farms’ which provides A processor in Mampong once regular employment to 7 workers. allowed processors to rent out her Additional casual labors are grater. This had given her employed during peak harvest management problems as many of season. The oil processing plant the customers don’t know how to produces 200 gallons of palm oil operate the machines. She ends up every 3 weeks. During the lean spending more for repair and season, he allows other processors maintenance than the fee she from the nearby villages to use the collects. The grater is now used in digester and presses for a fee. This the compound only for her own gari adds up to his income. business. Mr. Peter Yeboah is an entrepreneur Another processor from Mampong is who bought one unit of palm oil not bothered by machine digester he used to provide service to breakdowns. She says that it is a palm fruit processors in his village, good relief to know that local the Old Abirim Village in Brim manufacturers are accessible. ‘You North District, Eastern Region. can depend on them for assistance at Backyard palm oil processing used to any time’. be the main source of income of the Government–assisted projects tend residents. Many processors to lag behind privately-managed patronized the machine, abandoned projects. Constraints identified were their mortar and pestle and even late delivery, lack of training, increased their palm oil production. equipment package not matching The capacity of the machine was users’ needs among others. In good for their household operation. Saviefe Village, the gari processing 2- Conflicts and Management package is yet to be appreciated by Issues the women processors. Before these machines were delivered in Saviefe St. Michael Processing Plant was Village, the group has access to 4 supplying a school and the National other local graters powered by a Prison with gari. The instability of Lister Diesel Engine. The women the market in the last 2 years hope that the arrival of the facility discouraged the management to will reduce their time queuing for continue the regular supply of gari to use of the village’ graters, gaining their customers, nor expand and them time to increase their compete in the market. The plant processing capacity. However, could not compromise the quality of

82 because of familiarity, the processors the portable grater from IITA was still use the services of the 4 graters. introduced by the project. Among the facilities, it was found Ghana processors are sensitive on that the double screw press was liked social and environmental impact of most by the users because it is small technologies introduced in their and portable. It has reduced their societies. Example case is the effect de-watering process by 90% and of adoption of palm oil digester in eliminated the drudgery of stooping Old Abirim. The rapidly increasing when using rocks and logs resulting backyard oil processing created a in back and waist pains. The grater conflict in the village. The village is still scarcely used; however users became messy and the chief ordered noted the fine and smooth texture of that the palm oil processing be done grated pulp which they prefer. The in a central location in the outskirts sifter and the fermenting rack are of the residential block. Bigger still idle. The women are yet to investors bought high powered- appreciate the benefits from the digesters and presses and installed package before full adoption. in the processing block. This affected Meantime, the community is the Mr. Yeboa’s operation as people organizing their marketing group now turned to use the bigger and improving the process in the machines. In order to compete in production of dough (which is further the market, Mr. Yeboa bought the processed to ‘banku’), another bigger digester and added 7 screw important food product from cassava presses using his earnings from the in Ghana. small digesters. At the same time he hired two operators and sent the Before the introduction of the SAA- IITA-designed digesters to the AP recommended technologies, the adjacent village. Mr. Yeboa is not only available grater in Mampong is discouraged. He knows that many a modified portable grater. The more remote villages need the small grater service became very popular, digester. the women has to wait for a long time for their turn. Also since the 3- Equipment Manufacturing fees are not fixed, negotiations and Servicing became the language of the trade  Ghana Manufacturers’ Network which resulted in exaggerated fees. With time, the grater started to GRATIS (Ghana Regional develop faults making more difficult Appropriate Technology Industrial to schedule their operations. Despite Service) Foundation located in Tema this, the women continued to hosts the Ghana Manufacturers’ patronize the service because of Network with members from its convenience; it has reduced the regional centers, and its clients. drudgery of manual rasping, until

GRATIS Foundation is an active makes sure that he visits their partner of the SAA-AP program. customers personally and monitors During the last 5 years, it had the performance of the machines participated in the project’s they are selling. He said that the promotional activities such as field repair and maintenance services of demonstrations and trainings. The Mampong RTSC, and that of activities of the foundation create GRATIS Foundation, is helping to regional linkages to promote develop the confidence of their adoption of locally-made agro- customers which increased their processing machines. sales of agro-processing machines. He added that the SAA-AP program Mr. Kwabena Darfoor heads GRATIS linked us to our customers and Foundation. He advocates the trained our technicians to be strengthening of the local competent in providing these manufacturing industry to support services. the growth of mechanization to enhance agricultural development in Mampong RTSC is now a major the region. His policies, and that of supplier of agro-processing machines GRATIS Foundation, emphasize in the Ashanti Region. They have technologies for farm-gate processing trained other local manufacturers to create rural enterprises and rural who support them to supply the employment. increasing demand for improved agro- processing equipment and GRATIS Foundation is provide the associated repair and strengthening its after-sales services maintenance services. which are being done by competent staff of the Gender and Marketing Mr. Asare is thankful of the benefits Unit in cooperation with the Design from the SAA-AP project. He said and Testing Unit. that the training component has been very useful especially for Mr. Darfoor represents the interest technicians. The training helps them of small- to- medium scale to understand the importance of enterprises in the country and at supplying the appropriate machines regional forums he has been pushing to customers and emphasize on for policies that will promote the quality control. He recommends that growth of agro-business industries in the project continue to strengthen Ghana. Mr. Darfoor observes that this area of collaboration. the region needs more development work on packaging of agricultural Ho RTSC Regional Director, Mr. produce, and on competitive George Baddoe said that the agro- marketing. processing machines introduced by the SAA-AP project had been Mr. Francis Divine Asare, Manager popularly appreciated in the Volta of Mampong RTSC, Ashanti Region, Region because they are neither

84 bulky nor expensive. They are In 1993, ENTESEL, through continually finding ways to assist GRATIS Foundation, sent processors to acquire their own technicians to be trained by the SAA- machines. For example, the AP project. This boosted his company offers an easy payment business allowing him to expand his scheme with low down payment and product lines and his clients. From provides one year free repair and 1996, ENTESEL is one of the major maintenance. They are producers of agro- processing strengthening their promotional and machines supporting the project. He marketing activities through now says more than 30 percent of the participation in regional and company’s income is derived from national exhibitions and conducts sales of agro-processing machines occasional in-field demonstrations. introduced by the project. The Mr. Baddoe hopes that the processors project enables them to reach the will improve their operations customers improving their marketing through access to these simple but activities, and understanding versatile technologies. customers’ real needs and resources.  ENTESEL Establishment Mr. Quaye is particular on the ENTESEL Establishment quality of machines they produce. (Engineering and Technical Services Therefore they strive for excellence Establishment) is one of the ‘clients’ in their manufacturing process. A of GRATIS Foundation and has been rigorous quality control is done on all an active member of Ghana pieces of products they produce. He Manufacturers’ Network. ENTESEL follows-up on the machines they sell works with GRATIS Foundation and to make sure that customers are most Ghana-based NGOs in rural making use of their investments industrialization and poverty properly. With the help of the SAA- alleviation. AP project, this was feasible until 2004. Mr. Quaye is concerned on Mr. Sam Quaye, Managing how to sustain this initiative since it Proprietor and Chief Executive involves additional financial and Officer of ENTESEL, invested in this human resources. He hopes that the business in 1982 to provide Manufacturers’ Network could be mechanical engineering services to well-coordinated and strengthened established industries through plant and that collaboration with national installation, commissioning, agencies continues to support them maintenance and modification. In to carry out this important task. 1986, his establishment started the production of replacement parts to service their maintenance activities as a matter of necessity.

4- Technology Design and The bigger press is now used for Development preliminary removal of moisture The Josma Agro-processing Ltd. in from grated pulp then the bags are Wuraso Village, Mampong District, transferred to the original double Ashanti was initially equipped with screw press for final de-watering. the package of cassava processing equipment based on IITA design. The introduction of the auger type Within 6 months of operation, the grain polisher in Ghana is an processing capacity increased example of technology transfer where demanding for higher-capacity the technology does not suit the machines. A local conventional users’ requirements. Fortunately, grater with an 8-Hp petrol engine the introduction was made in the was added. At the same time, RTSC palm oil producing region where Mampong doubled the length of the there is current need for palm oil double screw press expecting to digester. increase its capacity. The polisher was tested efficient for The users noted the IITA grater palm oil digesting as well as for palm produces finer mash than the local kernel cracking. The machine was grater. However, the feeding system modified into a palm oil digester with discourages the operators from full interchangeable auger for palm adoption for fear of accidental injury kernel cracking. The modified to fingers and hand. Minor machine was well adopted by modification and training on correct backyard palm oil processors feeding had solved the problem. particularly those processors in the remote villages with poor road and The original design of the double transport system. screw press was now appreciated better because they can press faster To sustain the requirements for the than the expanded design. Loading commercial level processing, he is done in several batches for recommends that the digester be pressing, instead of one time. modified to increase the capacity but keeping its simple make.

SECTION 7.3 - ADOPTION AND UTILIZATION OF IMPROVED AGRO-PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES: CASES IN ETHIOPIA

Fig. 33 - The multi-crop thresher in Ethiopia is changing the scenario where threshing of grains used to be trampling by donkeys or bulls

The SAA-AP program in Ethiopia The program identified teff, maize, which started only in 2003 present and groundnut as the priority crops success stories on transfer and for technology development. adoption of improved agro-processing Traditional threshing of teff and technologies. With strong support other grain crops is still prevalent from the Ministry of Agriculture’s and is done by a gang of 6 to 8 oxen

Extension Program, the SAA-AP or donkeys driven around the pile of program is gaining momentum in crop by 2 to 3 men. It takes 8 hours moving the improve technologies to to thresh 2 bags of approximately target-users. 120 kgs of grains using this method.

The case of Ethiopia presents new Farmers harvest their crops at the challenges to the SAA-AP program same time making difficult to thresh on technology identification, sourcing immediately after harvest. Crops are and transfer considering differences left piled in the fields up to one in farming systems and cultural month which could result in practices that of West Africa. deterioration and crop losses. Other Current work on technology grain crops such as maize, millet and introduction is selective and will sorghum are also threshed with this require a lot of sensitization among method. Handling and transport of the stakeholders. This technology crop is also a big problem in grain transfer experience could be harvesting. More adoption stories in beneficial to the other East African Ethiopia are found in Annex 4. countries.

Few units of combine harvesters are The SAA-AP program is introducing operating in the area but are used the multi-crop thresher, the mostly for wheat; are not easily manually-operated groundnut accessible and wastes straws and sheller, the wet-type grinder and a fodders. The practice of crop- simple screw press to help improve livestock farming system the system. Adoption stories are necessitates that straws and fodders found in Annex 3. be made available for livestock feeding. 1- Adoption and Utilization of Multi-crop Thresher Groundnut is a main source of edible The multi-crop thresher without oil planted in big scale in Eastern cleaner and powered by a 7 Hp petrol Harar. It is considered as a cash engine was introduced in Ethiopia to crop, are sold raw, eaten boiled or help solve the drudgery of threshing roasted, or processed into butter and teff, the staple food crop of Ethiopia. oil. Groundnut is processed using Between 2002 and 2004, seven traditional methods. With the threshers had been purchased and traditional method, groundnut oil being used in Shashemene Province production is a cumbersome process to provide threshing services to and is still done at the household processors in the village and the level. The process involves shelling, adjacent villages. winnowing, roasting, de-skinning, and grinding. The multi-crop thresher has a field capacity of 500 to 600 kg per hour Butter and oil are commercial and had significantly reduced the products from groundnut which could time and drudgery using the develop to a cottage industry. traditional method. Adaptation work Groundnut butter and oil production was done by the SAA-AP project in requires special grinder to make collaboration with STVC by smooth flowing paste for efficient oil developing the donkey cart where the extraction. Kneading the butter is thresher could be mounted for yet another step in oil processing but transport. This enables operator to is constrained by lack of facility. conveniently move the thresher Because of the growing concern on around the farms. aflatoxin-contaminated groundnut Mr. Ayele is the first farmer who and its products, the process needs to invested on the thresher after he saw be facilitated if nuts and oil are to be a field demonstration by the SAA-AP free of microbial contamination. project staff. He now owns 3 units of Projects to introduce improve the threshers in Shashemene which techniques and teach the processors he operates with 5 hired workers. improve the process are required. Providing threshing service has

88 become his family’s main source of is being done in other parts of income. Ethiopia

Encouraged by his success, his 2- Adoption and Utilization of brother also bought the thresher. He Groundnut Processing now owns 2 units of threshers and Machines employs 5 operators. The groundnut sheller was proven to A third owner, Mr. Takele, also increase shelling capacity and learned of this booming thresher improve time-use efficiency. enterprise in Shashemene. He Processors quickly adopted the bought the thresher with the cleaner sheller but the adoption was not and started to provide threshing sustained. The resulting broken services in the villages with his 2 nuts, even small percentage, was not hired operators. He sees that the acceptable to processors and thresher will help the farmers a lot consumers who used the shelled nuts and at the same time give him a good for other purposes or for processing income. later. According to the users, the The number of farmer-entrepreneur bruises in the nuts result in is steadily increasing which is not a discoloration, both in nuts and in oil, bother to existing operators. There is which make it unattractive in the more than enough crop to be market and could not keep long in threshed. The system is working storage. This feedback, including the well and immediately adopted by the need to increase capacity, will be farmers for teff threshing. The used to further improve the thresher does not only save time and groundnut sheller. crop losses but also produces slightly The wet-type grinder had crushed shorter straws which are contributed to improved efficiency of found suitable for animal feeding in grinding and is adopted by the terms of handling and digestibility, processors. The butter obtained was or even as soil conditioner or smooth and renders for easy oil fertilizer when plowed back in the extraction. A simple oil press is field. being used to extract oil from the The farmers are now evaluating the paste. thresher for maize, wheat, barley, The JICA project supported the sorghum and millet. Feedback is Babile Groundnut Processing encouraging and recommendations Cooperative to set-up a processing for improvement are now being center and is helping to develop their addressed by the SAA-AP project market for peanut butter. The team while continuing demonstration processing center is equipped with and technology awareness campaign the wet-type grinder, and the packaging paraphernalia for butter.

The improved technologies allow They have an important role in processors to diversify their products adapting and modifying the agro- and increase production efficiency. processing machines for introduction The SAA-AP project continues to look to the Ethiopian farmers as required into ways of further improving the by their environment. STVC is also system. home to the SAA-AP project in 3- Manufacturing and Servicing Ethiopia. It provided a metal of Improved Agro-processing workshop and an office, and granted Technologies a special privilege to access and use of its other facilities and services to The growing demand for improved the project team. technologies necessitates that the machines are available and Working with an established accessible to farmers and processors. institution like STVC to help The SAA-AP project is working improve the welfare of the small- closely with the Extension scale farmers and processors Department of the Ministry of facilitated the extension work in Agriculture, and Selam Technical Ethiopia. and Vocational Center (STVC). The Ministry’s mandate is to continue to link the farmers and processors to technology-resource system; STVC is responsible for the production, sales and servicing of machines demanded.

SECTION 8.1 - PROFITABILITY OF GARI PROCESSING

introduced by the SAA-AP project. The importance of cassava as a Mainly women, working in groups, staple food crop and source of income carry out gari production, like any in Africa continues to grow because other traditional cassava processing. of its agronomic advantage. The adoption of high-yielding varieties of The traditional gari processing cassava as well as improved growing method is costly in terms of time, techniques resulted in increased labor and wastage, and often has low production but at the same time grade quality. The SAA-AP project created problems on postharvest introduced improved technologies handling and processing. The high developed at IITA to many of the perishability of cassava and the unit operations in order to increase presence of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) the capacity, efficiency of gari in cassava require immediate processing and improve the quality of processing into more stable and safer gari. The package consists of the products. Processing reduces the peeling bay, IITA-designed grating level of HCN in the crop and machine with power drive, double improves the palatability of the food screw press, fermenting rack, products. cassava mash and gari sifter, and improved stove. It is installed under In Africa, cassava is traditionally a shed provided with a room to processed into different food secure the equipment and engine, products. They include cassava and to improve the working flours, granulated roasted cassava conditions of the processors. (gari), granulated cooked cassava (attieke, kwosai), fermented cassava Over the last decade, adoption of the pastes, sediment starches, and technologies is seen in the increasing medicines. Over 50% of the villages number of sales of gari equipment in Africa have some form of cassava package by manufacturers, and the processing center. number of users across the villages. Group processors normally invest in Gari is an important commercial the whole package. In some cases, cassava food product in West Africa only the grater and the press are and is finding market in the Region, used particularly in providing and in Europe. Many small-scale services to processors. processing establishments are found in the villages of Ghana and Benin The intervention is proving to be using either very traditional useful in transforming the once a methods, locally-adapted imported family-based food processing scale to machines, or the improved system a market-oriented business

91 enterprise (Figure 34) increasing get paid instead of processing in cassava product availability and their backyards. reliability, stabilizing prices and Users reported increasing income facilitating export. Gari, as well as and opening of more market flour and starch, are now properly opportunities. The profitability of packed, being sold along road sides the improved processing package at and in the supermarkets. Women different utilization schemes was processors go to centers to work and analyzed and discussed in the accompanying sections.

Fig. 34 – Improve processing techniques allows processors to expand their scale of operation from family-based to commercial-scale processing

1- Profitability of Gari Table 20 indicates that using either Processing System of the methods, gari business is generating income and is profitable. The improved gari processing system Operating at 3- to 2-day cycle per was compared with existing facility week, the improve system can consisting of a locally-adapted grater, process up to 9 tons fresh cassava per the single screw press, raffia sifter, week. At this capacity, the improved and the stove. A comparison of the gari processing system gave an economic profitability of the gari annual net income of USD 60,216 processing systems was done to from 432 tons of fresh cassava provide a guide to processors and tubers. This corresponds to an entrepreneurs on the level of income of USD 139.40 per ton of operation their investments will pay fresh cassava processed. The annual off. Since a major component of cost total variable cost was USD 90,946. of the gari processing system is the It is important to note that only less grater; any cost inferences in this than 1% was paid to women and analysis refer to grater operation. children labor who did the peeling, washing, bagging, sieving, and

92 frying. The return to total cost was as well as spend more quality time 64%, while the return to variable cost with their families. was 66%. 2- Profitability of Improved Gari The breakeven analysis showed that Processing System at Varying the processing would be able to Capacity recover all its expenses as long as it The operating capacity described in can process 278.5 tons of fresh the preceding section is currently the cassava roots per year. Every ton normal capacity and approximately added to this volume would mean an only about half the designed (or full) increase in profit by USD 139.39. capacity of the improved system. As The net income from the improved the processors become more adapted system was higher by around USD to the system it is expected that the 15,000 compared to the locally- capacity will increase as a result of designed equipment. improving skills, better organization This can be attributed to higher gari and management. A sensitivity conversion rate, minimal rejection analysis shows an increasing trend rate, efficiency of the system and in profit from gari processing as a lower labor cost. result of increasing capacity, Figure 35. The analysis was based on actual The efficiency of the system is being practice where the fixed cost is manifested by the high profitability composed only of depreciation, which of the system as indicated by a profit was so small and no other overhead of more than USD 30 per ton of cost, such as monthly wages for cassava processed. Further, the labor, was included. All operation return to total and variable costs of costs are dependent on the volume the improved system were higher by processed. more than 15% compared to the locally designed gari processing The improved gari processing system equipment. processing at least three tons cassava per week (or 144 tons per It was also noted that as the system year) would give the processors a net becomes more mechanized and income of around USD 20,000 per organized, the income and benefits year. This is about USD 5,000 more are increasing. compared to the locally-adapted The adoption of the improved system, grater. The difference in profitability therefore, means additional profit for gets much larger with increasing the group, more efficient operation capacity. The breakeven volume of and labor-saving on the part of improved processing equipment was women working in the center. The around 280 tons per year. With time saved can then be devoted to proper management, the investment other economic and social activities could be recoup within a year.

Table 20 -- Comparative economic analysis of improved gari processing package and existing local grater operating at 144 days per year

Improved Existing Local COST ITEMS Process Grater 1. Capital Costs (USD) 1,617.00 1,274.00 2. Fixed Costs (USD per year) 1,011.69 798.58 3. Variable Costs (USD per year) 90,946.80 94,899.60 4.. Total Cost (USD) 93,575.49 96,972.18 . Women & children labor cost 758.16 1,375.92 5. Gross Revenue (USD per year) 153,792.00 143,424.00 . Gari 145,152.00 134,784.00 . Peel (sold for animal feed) 8,640.00 8,640.00 6. Net Income (USD per year) 60,216.51 46,451.82 . Net profit per ton cassava (USD/ton) 139.39 107.53 . Return to total cost 0.64 0.48 . Return to variable cost 0.66 0.49 7. Breakeven Volume . Ton of gari 77.98 80.81 . Ton of cassava 278.50 310.81 8. Breakeven Costs ($/Ton) 773.61 863.36 . Cassava input (tons) 432.00 432.00 . Gari output (tons) 120.96 112.32

Fig. 35 –Change in profit with changing processing capacity

to the center and pay for the use of The economic indices when the the facilities. This scheme is referred improved system is operated at the as the ‘stationary’ custom-hiring. normal capacity (9 tons per week), One constraint to providing and at the design or full capacity (18 stationary grating service is that tons per week), is given in Table 21. processors have to carry the bulk of The analysis assumed that that the the watery grated pulp back to their supply of raw material (i.e. fresh family compounds for further cassava roots) would not be a processing. Hence operators added constraint in increasing capacity. the pressing service using a double As could be expected, doubling the screw press to enable them to de- capacity could also double the water the grated pulp before they are variable costs, such as the amount of returned to their home yards. This materials and labor. The net income, arrangement invited more however, had more than doubled as a customers. result of increasing scale of operation. Further, the profitability Where processors could not come to of processing cassava increased by the center, owners/service providers more than USD 3.00 per ton and the could bring the grater on motorbike return to costs also increased around the villages to service those considerably. processors. This scheme will be referred in this discussion as ‘mobile’ 3- Economic Analysis of Custom- grating. Hiring the Grater Table 22 shows the economic As gari processing continues to prove comparison of the two custom-hiring to be profitable, more and more schemes. With an investment of people are involved in processing, or USD 920, the grater and press in providing services to the combination (stationary grating processors. The key to this growing service), and the grater on motorbike business practice is the provision of (for the mobile grating service), the needed access to appropriate economic analysis had shown that technologies. The package of the two schemes is generating technologies introduced by the important income to service project was identified to suit various providers. situations and operational levels required by processors. For stationary grating, the facility is available to processors anytime when Depending on the level of operation, the group members/owners are not the grater and the rest of the using them. Mobile grating capacity components can be rented by non- was calculated based on daily service members. This is an additional schedule from 4 to 5 hours in the income for the group. In this case, evening as the motorcycle is used for the processors bring their materials

Table 21 - Comparative economic analysis of increasing the capacity of improved gari processing package

At Normal At Full COST ITEMS Utilization Utilization Capacity Capacity 1. Capital Costs (USD) 1,617.00 1,617.00 2. Fixed Costs (USD per year) 1,011.69 1,011.69 3. Variable Costs (USD per year) 90,946.80 181,893.60 4.. Total Cost (USD) 93,575.49 184,522.29 . Women & children labor cost 758.16 1,516.32 5. Gross Revenue (USD per year) 153,792.00 307,584.00 . Gari 145,152.00 290,304.00 . Peel (sold for animal feed) 8,640.00 17,280.00 6. Net Income (USD per year) 60,216.51 123,061.71 . Net profit per ton cassava (USD/ton) 139.39 142.43 . Return to total cost 0.64 0.67 . Return to variable cost 0.66 0.68 7. Breakeven Volume . Ton of gari 77.98 153.77 . Ton of cassava 278.50 549.17 8. Breakeven Costs ($/ton) 773.61 762.74 . Cassava input (tons) 432.00 864.00 . Gari output (tons) 120.96 241.92 Processing capacity (tons per week) 9.00 18.00 Number of days processing per week 2 – 3 days 6 days

to the operators. The return to total other purposes during the day. The cost was 39%, while the return to time is also convenient for the variable cost was 58%. These values processors as they have to harvest are both higher than the opportunity and peel the cassava before the cost of money which is 25%, grater provider arrives. indicating that investment in the At the current service capacity of 100 improved gari processing equipment to 150 kg per day, the schemes had is financially feasible. At the given shown good returns on investment. operation, the investment in the For stationary set-up, custom-hiring equipment can be fully recovered in alone provides an important income 1.5 years.

Table 22 - Profitability of providing grating services to cassava processors

COST ITEMS STATIONARY MOBILE 1. Capital Cost (USD) 920.00 920.00 2. Service Capacity, kg per day 150 100 3. Total Fixed Cost per Annum (USD) 506.00 506.00 4. Total Variable Cost per Annum (USD) 1,050.00 750.00 5. Total Cost per Annum (USD) 1,556.00 1,256.00 6. Gross Income per Annum (USD) 2,170.00 1,550.00 7. Net Income per Annum (USD) 614.00 294.00 8. Return to Total Cost (%) 39.00 23.00 9. Return to Variable Cost (%) 58.00 39.00 10. Payback Period (years) 1.50 3.13 11. Breakeven Volume (tons) 25.00 20.00 Basic assumptions for economic analysis: Repair & maintenance cost is 10% of purchase price (PP); Tax, insurance & shelter cost is 2% of PP; Useful life of machine, 5 years; Interest on investment, 25%.

days a year operation. Increasing The breakeven volume was 25 tons the service volume will increase the per year or 100 kg per day for 250 income and the payback period could days a year operation. be shortened. For the mobile grating service, the average service volume of 100 kg per 4- Other Benefits of Improved day, would give a net income USD Cassava Processing Equipment 294 per year. The return to total cost Besides the economic benefits, was 23% while the return to variable groups and individual users and cost was 39%. The return to total cost service providers identified the is still low compared to the interest following perceived benefits from on capital, hence there is a need for using the improved gari processing the owner to intensify promotion of system: his unit in order to increase service 1- It strengthens the credibility of volume and raise the return to total groups enabling them to leverage cost above 25%. At the given more funding support for their operation, the investment in the activities. For example, in Benin, equipment can be fully recovered in the Takissari Women’ Group was just 3.13 years. able to convince the French NGO, The breakeven volume was 20 tons IRCOD (L'Institut Régional de per year or 80 kg per day for 250 Coopération –Développement) to

subsidize the purchase of a second Tchaourou Town, Benin, operating set of processing equipment and a mobile grater said his grater build a store for their product. made him an important man in the Similarly, the Agodenuo Women’ community Group was able to get CARDER 6- Cassava farmers also benefit from (Centre d’Action Régionale pour le adoption of improved gari Développement Rural) Atlantique processing equipment. With to help them buy grater and Lister widespread adoption of improved Diesel Engine, and the government gari processing, there is increasing to install a bore hole as potable demand for fresh cassava roots, water source. bidding up prices and farmers 2- The improved system minimized increasing areas planted to the drudgery specifically in grating cassava production and pressing. The adoption of labor-saving equipment like 5- Benefits to Manufacturers mechanical graters and double Collaborating manufacturers screw press reduces the time recorded a continuing increase in the required to do the tedious sale of agro- processing equipment. operations, which women used to A summary of sales record of gari do manually. The time saved can processing equipment in Benin and be devoted to other productive Ghana from 1994 to 2004 as reported economic activities, social by collaborating manufacturers is participation and spend more time given in Table 23. The increasing with their families sales of agro-processing machines 3- The improved system improved the show that more processors have more quality of gari in terms of color, access to technologies needed to volumetric weight and uniformity pursue their businesses. of grits. Moreover, the group The collaborating manufacturers also reported that the high-quality gari reported that the increase in the draws customers to them thereby sales of the agro-processing saving them time and transport equipment is due to the after-sales costs in bringing their produce to services they provide. The the local markets. processors have reduced risks in 4- The improved grater gave better their investments and are buying the quality gari. Processors claimed machines. that their products are selling at The pattern of sales of the higher price and reaching the mechanical grater and press, showed export markets a sales growth of 6% per annum for 5- Individual entrepreneurs like Boni the grater, and 23% for the press Hubert of Borone Village, (Figure 36).

Table 23 - Number of gari processing equipment sold by collaborating manufacturers in Ghana and Benin, 1994 – 2004

Type of Equipment Benin Ghana TOTAL

•Grater 235 367* 602 •Double screw press 186 374 560 •Fermentation Rack 44 266 310 •Bagging stand 24 264 288 •Sifter 44 266 310 •Chipper 4 34 38

*Does not include additional 300units ordered in 2003 by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

Fig. 36 –Trend on sale of grater and press in Benin and Ghana,1994 - 2004

economic contribution of the The collaborating manufacturers also equipment to the manufacturers’ reported that the increase in the income. sales of the agro-processing equipment is due to the after-sales 6- Benefits to Gari Consumers services they provide. The and Cassava Farmers processors have reduced risks in Given the importance of gari to their investments and are buying the Ghana and Benin and the efforts machines. exerted to mechanize gari A downward trend in the sale production, it is expected that the observed in the sale of graters could adoption of the mechanized be explained by the saturation of production technology would become graters in the area where the widespread. This would mean that manufacturers are operating. This more and better quality gari will be indicated that the manufacturers produced and be available in the should expand their markets and market. In effect there would be look for other outlets. The higher more supply, and if the market forces rate of sales of press could be are operating normally, this would explained by the fact that the press drive the price of gari down. is cheaper and is bought mostly by Consumers would then benefit in individual processors for their own terms of savings due to lower gari use. The grater requires higher price, hence increase his welfare investment. Processors prefer to pay which can be quantified in terms of for the grating services provided by changes in consumer surplus due to owners/operators. price changes. At the selling prices of USD 800 for Similarly, cassava farmers would grater, and USD120 and press and a also benefit from adoption of manufacturer’s margin of 25%, the mechanized gari processing net income to the manufacturer was equipment. With widespread only around USD 5,000 per annum. adoption of mechanized gari Even so, the manufacturers processing, there would be increased commented that the agro-processing demand for fresh cassava tubers, equipment created a more reliable bidding up prices and farmers market and had helped them increasing acreages planted to augment their income. Increasing cassava. the number of sales and their service area will help to improve the

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SECTION 8.2 - PROFITABILITY OF WET-TYPE GRINDER FOR SHEANUT PROCESSING

because of lack of processing Grinding is a basic operation in machine. processing most indigenous African food products. Mortar and pestle is The wet-type grinder was introduced common household equipment found in the project sites in Benin and in all houses, especially in the rural Ghana where it is widely adopted for areas. In the sub-urban and urban Sheanut butter processing. The areas, mechanical maize grinders nature of grinding allows faster powered by Lister Diesel Engines extraction of the fat and also could be found, providing services to produces very fine paste which customers. Over the years, people renders it easier to knead. have learned to appreciate the The grinder is being adopted in machine easing their operations. Ethiopia for the production of Adding value to the crop with the groundnut butter and oil. introduction of new products to improve the nutritional attributes, 1- Sheanut Butter Processing marketability and storability present Sheanut, also known as the African a viable opportunity to farmers and Butter Tree, grows in the Savannah agro-processors to increase their regions of, mostly West, Africa. income. Sheanut butter, a product processed The SAA-AP project recognized the from Sheanut, contains saturated need to improve production of wet and unsaturated fatty acid extracts food products from maize, soybeans, from Sheanut. In Africa, it is used sorghum, millet, and butter and oil traditionally for skin care, for relief from groundnut. Wet products are of rheumatism, muscle and joint prone to microbial contamination. pain, also for prevention of stretch More efficient processes to make the marks and for baby care. It is a product more durable and safe for source of Oleic acid, Vitamin E, pro- consumption are needed. vitamin A and often used in cosmetic products, particularly for dry and The project also identified the allergy-prone skin. The African emergence of export market for Sheanut butter is sought after in the Sheanut butter which is produced in world market. small quantities in the rural areas. The current production capacity Traditional Sheanut butter could not supply the quantity and processing is a long tedious process quality required by the market consisting of various unit operations often done manually (Figure 37).

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Fig. 37 - Process flow chart: Sheanut butter processing in Benin and Ghana

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the traditional method which uses a The fruits/nuts fall on the ground locally adapted maize grinder. Table where they are collected by women 24 summarizes the basic information and children. The women process and assumptions used in the individually before the machines analysis. (crusher and grinder) were introduced. The introduction of the This fixed cost of the improved machines (improve process) enables Sheanut processing equipment was them to process in groups of 3- 5 substantially higher than that of women members. The machines traditional method (Table 25). This facilitated the Sheanut butter fixed cost includes depreciation of production, resulting in time savings, equipment, engine and shed, interest increase capacity and improve on capital, tax and insurance and quality of Sheanut butter. repair and maintenance. The operator’ wage was not part of the 2- Profitability of Wet-type fixed cost of the traditional method Grinder and was assumed to be built in into The critical operations in Sheanut the service fee collected. On the butter processing are the production contrary, the variable cost of the of paste and kneading the paste to improved system was about 10% extract the fats. The SAA-AP project lower than the traditional process. introduced the wet-type grinder The gross income was 15% more that (developed at IITA) and the nut of the traditional system. This could crusher (developed by COBEMAG) be attributed to the higher efficiency which has become known to of the improved system, resulting in processors as the complexe karité. As saving in time and fuel. the adoption of the machine spreads The breakeven analysis showed that in Ghana and Benin, the at the existing price of Sheanut paste development of a kneader has of USD850 per ton and assumed become necessary which is now a paste recovery, the improved system priority development area by the would be able to breakeven (no profit collaborating manufacturers in or no loss), if it could process 13.88 Benin. tons of Sheanut per year. Similarly, An economic analysis of improved if the total processing capacity of 40 Sheanut butter processing using the tons per year would be kept constant, complexe karité, which is composed of the Sheanut paste processing would Sheanut crusher and wet-type breakeven at a price of USD624.65 grinder, vis-à-vis traditional method for the improved system while it was undertaken to determine the would be USD705.96 for the benefits to owners, to individual traditional method. processor, to group processors, and to consumers. This was compared with

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Table 24 – Basic information and assumptions used in the economic analysis of wet-type grinder for Sheanut butter processing in Benin and Ghana

ITEMS OF COST Associated Data/Costs 1- Cost of improve equipment: complexe karité USD 3,500 (crusher and wet type grinder including diesel motor engine) 2- Cost of traditional equipment (maize USD 1,800 grinder including diesel motor engine) 3- Shed for improved processing equipment USD 300 4- Economic lifespan of equipment and engine 5 years 5- Economic lifespan of shed 15 years 6- Salvage value of equipment, motor and shed 10% of Acquisition Cost 7- Interest on capital representing the 25% per annum opportunity cost of money 8- Repair and maintenance cost 20% of Capital Cost 9- Tax and insurance 2% of Capital Cost 10- Wage rate of women worker USD 0.65 per day (opportunity cost of women labor ) 11- Volume processed by the group annually 40 tons of Sheanut, approx. 200 kg per day 12- Operating days per year 200 days

her income from processing to pay for The investment made in acquiring the capital used in setting up the and setting up the processing system equipment. could be recovered within its assumed economic life of 5 years, in 3- Profitability of Custom-hiring either of the following modes of the Complexe Karité paying investment would be done: Because of the high acquisition cost, Custom service fee is used for many more farmer/processors could payment of capital - Under this not acquire the machine for their scheme, a service fee equal to USD12 own use. Some entrepreneurs had and USD32 per ton for crushing and invested on the machine and provide grinding should be charged. the needed crushing and grinding Twenty per cent of net income of service to those who could not buy group (3-5 members) goes to payment the machine. Economic analysis of of investment - Under this scheme; custom hiring the complexe karité each member would set aside 20% of was done.

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USD18.40, if she pays all the labor At the prevailing service fee would and processing costs. On the other not be enough to make the business hand, if the individual continues to profitable as shown in Table 26. At use the traditional Sheanut the present annual capacity of 200 processing method, she will only get tons, the business venture would be 41.65 kg of paste, which is 15% lower losing USD1,230 per year. This than what was obtained from the result implies that there is a need to improved method, with net income either raise the service fee to about USD6.70. members, or members should set aside certain percentage of their net The return on investment of the income from sales of paste to pay for processor using improved method the capital invested in acquiring the was around 60% higher than the equipment within its economic life traditional method. The increase span of 5 years. income is due to the higher paste recovery due to machine efficiency On the contrary, if the equipment and that the processors are able to would be used to provide custom increase their processing capacity. service to non-members, the assumed This translates to higher volume of 4,000 customers and profitability, and higher return per service fee would give the center a dollar invested in Sheanut profit of USD1,170 per year. This processing. profit would just be enough to pay for the capital invested in acquiring the 5- Benefits to Group of equipment. If the business is to be Processors profitable, it is recommended that At the group processing level, the the service fees should be at least same observation can be noted. The USD12 per ton for crushing and gross income from improved USD32 per ton for wet grinding for processing system was more than members. Allowing non-members to USD2,000 higher per year compared use the facility will add to the with the traditional system (Table income. 28). This is mainly due to the higher 4- Benefits to Individual paste yield from the improved system Processors and with a comparable processing cost between the two methods. In The economic benefits of improved effect the improve system gave Sheanut processing to individual higher net income for the group. processor are summarized in Table Further, the net income per ton of 27. At the paste recovery rate of Sheanut processed was higher in the 49%, an individual processor with improved processing method. 100 kg Sheanut will have corresponding gross sales of USD41.65 and a net profit of

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6- Benefits to Consumers Consumers would also benefit from the improved system of Sheanut paste processing. This could come either from improved quality of paste or lower product prices due to lower production cost and higher paste yield. At this point, however, these are not quantified in this report because of the absence of field data.

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Table 25 – Comparative economic analysis of ownership and utilization of improved and traditional Sheanut butter processing equipment. All costs are in USD unless otherwise specified

Improved Traditional Cost Items Processing Processing 1. Fixed costs 2,674.00 1,386.00 2. Depreciation of component machines 648.00 540.00 - Shed 18.00 - - Complexe karité (grinder & crusher) 630.00 - - Maize Grinder - 540.00 - Nut Crusher - 3. Operator / Labor 240.00 - 4. Interest on capital 950.00 450.00 5. Tax & insurance 76.00 36.00 6. Repair & maintenance cost 760.00 360.00 7. Variable costs 9,569.08 10,474.15 - Oil & fuel 542.67 1,020.80 - Raw materials 7,200.00 7,200.00 - Roasting 130.00 130.00 - Shelling 27.08 27.08 - Crushing 336.00 364.00 - Grinding 640.00 928.00 - Kneading 693.33 804.27 8. Total Costs 12,243.08 11,860.15 9. Gross Income 16,660.00 14,161.00 10. Net Income 4,416.92 2,300.85 11. Net profit per ton of Sheanut 110.42 57.52 12. Return to total cost 0.36 0.19 13. Return to variable cost 0.46 0.22 14. Breakeven volume: - Tons of Sheanut paste 6.80 6.59 - Ton of Sheanut 13.88 15.69 15. Breakeven price per ton 624.65 705.96 16. Payback period, years - if custom fee is used for payment of loan 3.89 1.94 - if 20% of net income is used for payment 4.30 3.91

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Table 26 - Comparative economic benefits from using the improved processing equipment (complexe karité) for custom services by client group

Client Group Items of Cost Service- Service- User Provider 1. Fixed costs per year - Depreciation 684.00 684.00 - Interest on capital 950.00 950.00 - Repair & maintenance 380.00 380.00 - Tax insurance & shelter 76.00 76.00 - Labor cost 240.00 240.00 - Total Fixed cost per year 2,330.00 2,330.00 2. Total Variable Cost 7,700.00 7,700.00 3. Total cost per year 10,030.00 10,030.00 4. Volume processed* per year 200,000 200,000 5. Gross Income per year 11,200.00 8,800.00 - Crushing 3,200.00 2,400.00 - Grinding 8,000.00 6,400.00 6. Net Income 1,170.00 (1,230.00) 7. Return to total cost 0.12 (0.12) 8. Return to variable cost 0.15 (0.16) 9. Payback period, years 3.25 (3.09) 10. Breakeven volume 3,582.14 4,559.09

*Operating period is 200 days at 20 customers per day with 50 kg to be serviced; Cost of improved processing unit (complexe karité) = USD3,800

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Table 27 - Comparative economic analysis of individual processor using service of improved and traditional methods of Sheanut paste processing

Improved Traditional Cost Items Processing Processing

1. Variable Costs - Raw materials (100 kg Sheanut) 18.00 18.00 - Roasting 0.33 0.33 - Shelling 0.07 0.07 - Crushing 1.12 0.91 - Grinding 2.00 2.32 - Kneading 1.73 2.01 2. Total Cost 23.25 23.63 3. Output (kg paste) 49.00 41.65 4. Price (USD/kg paste) 0.85 0.85 5. Gross income 41.65 35.40 6. Net Income (USD) 18.40 11.77 7. Return to total cost 0.79 0.50 8. Breakeven volume - kg of Sheanut paste 12.90 13.30 - kg of Sheanut 26.33 31.67 9. Breakeven price (USD/kg) 0.47 0.56

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Table 28 Comparative economic analysis of group processors availing services of improved and traditional Sheanut processing equipment

Improved Traditional Cost Items Processing Processing

1. Variable Costs 9,298.42 9,453.35 - Raw materials 7,200.00 7,200.00 - Roasting 130.00 130.00 - Shelling 27.08 27.08 - Crushing 448.00 364.00 - Grinding 800.00 928.00 - Kneading 693.33 804.27 2. Total Cost 9,298.42 9,453.35 3. Output (kg paste) 4. Price (USD/kg paste) 5. Gross income 16,660.00 14,161.00 6. Net Income (USD) 7,361.58 4,707.65 7. Net Profit per ton of Sheanut 184.04 117.69 8. Return to variable cost 0.79 0.50 9. Breakeven volume - tons of Sheanut paste 5.17 5.25 - tons of Sheanut 10.54 12.50 10. Breakeven price (USD/kg) 474.41 562.70

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SECTION 8.3 - PROFITABILITY OF MULTI-CROP THRESHER IN ETHIOPIA

Teff is the staple food crop of The time the crop is out in the field Ethiopia. Ethiopia also produces could mean significant qualitative maize, wheat, sorghum and millet. and quantitative losses due to Cropping season is at least once a microorganisms and physical losses year covering a period of 3-4 months due to poor handling and predators. from seeding to harvesting. The In 2001, the SAA-AP project average production of grain is less introduced the multi-crop thresher than a ton per hectare. Farmers (Figure 39) to help farmers thresh have very limited incentive to their crops quickly after harvest to increase production. For one reason, enable them to save their time and they lack the capability to handle losses to crop. The thresher additional increase in production generated a lot of interests. A farmer because of lack of tools and immediately bought one unit and equipment. Harvesting and uses it to service the farmers in his threshing are done using village. traditional/conventional methods with animal power (Figure 38) and The project continues to work closely with family and exchange labor. with the Extension Department of Using this method, it could take one the Ministry of Agriculture to to two months to bring the grains conduct more promotional activities, from the farm to safe storage. and with Selam Technical and Vocational Center (STVC) to adapt the machine to local conditions.

Fig. 38- Traditional threshing of teff and other Fig. 39- The multi-crop thresher promoted by grains using a gang of bulls, or SAA-AP program is being adopted rapidly donkeys

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return analysis was done to know The thresher has become popular whether the acquisition and among farmers who now depend on ownership of the multi-crop thresher threshing services provided by was financially viable based on the owners. At the same time, SAA-AP economic lifespan of 5 years. The project in collaboration with STVC analysis did not consider the has developed a donkey-cart to help opportunity costs of money which is with the mobility of the thresher. By equivalent to the interest rate of 2004, there are 7 individually-owned borrowing money from a commercial threshers going from farm to farms bank. The analysis was made for providing threshing services. individual records. Testimonies of these early adaptors indicated the usefulness and Results of the analysis show that potential of the thresher to increase custom-hiring the thresher is giving farmers’ income. an important income to the owners/service providers, as shown The thresher gave outright by the positive net income (Table 30). advantage over the traditional The return on investment is fast. At method in terms of time and costs the current service fee of Birr 26 per savings as described in Table 29. hr (decided by the service provider), The multi-crop thresher is providing operating the thresher for at least a viable option to farmers to help 276 hours in a year, the operation of them thresh their crops on time and the thresher will break-even in less important income to than one year as demonstrated by owner/operators. Thresher A1. This has encouraged 1- Profitability of Custom-hiring more individual entrepreneurs to the Multi-crop Thresher invest on the next units of threshers Custom-hiring is a business practice as demand for threshing services whereby machine owners provide continue to increase within, and access to services, which are around the neighboring communities. otherwise remote, to farmers and Increasing the service hours of the processors. In practice, this involves thresher will improve the machines which are necessary for profitability of the thresher. If small-scale operations but are found threshing material is limiting, to be too expensive for individual service providers may increase the ownership. The multi-crop thresher service fee to at least Birr 30 per is one of the machines now operated hour (Birr 120 per ton) to recoup the under this entrepreneurial practice investment in the same year, as is in Ethiopia and Benin. the case for the newer thresher units Using the business records provided C, D and E. Custom-hiring the by the owner-operators of the multi- thresher is a flourishing business in crop threshers in Ethiopia, a cost and the rural areas of Ethiopia.

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Table 29 - Features of traditional and improved threshing in Ethiopia

Descriptor Traditional Threshing Improved Threshing (Trampling by Animals) (Multi-crop Thresher) • Method Trampling by animals: Mechanical thresher with four or more Donkeys, or 7 hp Petrol or Diesel Oxen Engine • Number of workers Up to 20 adults and children For thresher with cleaner: 3-4 helpers • Capacity 300 kg in 6 hours 250 kg per hour • Time to thresh 1 ton of 20 hours (or 3 working days) 4 hours teff, or maize • Threshing fee (Birr, B) Animal fee: B25.00/day per Machine fee- B25.00/hr + oxen + Labor fee: B5.00/day Operator’s fee: B2.00/hr

The profitability will depend on the income, it is recommended that the marketing promotion by owner-operator has to check on owners/service providers as more conditions of the local market and entrepreneurs are investing the economic capacity of the farmer to pay, when deciding on fees to 2- Sensitivity Analysis of charge. Thresher Operation  Economic Indices when A more thorough analysis which Custom-hiring at 2% of Output included the depreciation and At a custom-hiring rate of 2% of opportunity costs of investment on output (or Birr 30 per hr), and multi-crop thresher looks into the considering the cost of capital and sensitivity of income and payback depreciation, the ownership of period with changes in operating thresher could only be profitable if periods and custom-hiring rates. the thresher could be operated for Results give a guide to rates of 350 hours per year. The net income charges and corresponding operating would be Birr 187 per year. Under hours to recoup the investment this income level, however, the owner within the economic life of the would not be able to recover his/her thresher, assumed 5 years. investment within its life span as the Result of analysis showed that any return on investment (ROI) was only increase in threshing service hours 2% (Table 31). This is very low will give the owner higher incomes, compared to the opportunity cost of and the return to investment is capital invested in acquiring the faster. Since the rates of service fees machine. Increasing the service also have direct correlation with hours from 375 to 500 per year will

113 make the thresher more economically Figure 41 presents the trends in viable and financially feasible. gross income, total cost and net income. The breakeven point is At this operating level, the owner when the thresher is operated at 228 would be able to recover his/her hours per year. Any increase in investment in less than five years. operating capacity will give the The trends in gross income, total cost owner more income. and net income are shown in Figure  Economic Indices when 40. The graph shows the breakeven Custom-hiring at 3% of point (BEP) at 338 hours. At this Thresher Output point the owner is able to pay the associated costs including fix costs At a custom hiring rate of 3% of (interest on capital, depreciation and thresher output, (or Birr 45 per hr), repairs and maintenance) and ownership of thresher would only be variable costs. profitable if the thresher is operated for 200 hours per year. The net  Economic Indices when annual income would be Birr 862 Custom-hiring at 2.5% of (Table 33). Under this income level Output and return on investment at 11%, At a custom hiring rate of 2.5% of the owner would not be able to output (or Birr 37.5 per hr), recover his/her investment at the ownership of thresher would only be projected life span. profitable if the thresher could be At an assumed custom fee of 3% of operated for 250 hours per year. The output custom hiring rate, ownership net annual income would be Birr of thresher would be economically 512, Table 32. Under this income viable and financially feasible if the level, however, the owner would still thresher can be operated for a period not able to recover his/her of 250 hours per year. At this investment. Also the ROI was only operating level, the owner would be 6%, which is much lower than the able to recover his/her investment in opportunity cost of capital invested less than five years, the assumed in acquiring the machine. economic life span of the machine. At 2.5% custom-hiring rate, the Extrapolating from Figure 42, the ownership of thresher would be breakeven point is at 178 hours. economically viable and financially Operating the thresher more than feasible if the thresher can be 178 hours would mean profit for the operated for at least 350 hours per owner. The operating costs decrease year. At this operating level, the giving higher net incomes owner would be able to recover his/her investment in less than 5 years.

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Table 30 - Economic indices of multi-crop threshers providing services to teff and maize farmers in Ethiopia (All costs are in Ethiopian Birr unless otherwise specified; 1USD = Birr 8.60)

Year Acquisition Cumulative Number Service Gross Total Net Period to Service Service Acquired Cost hours of of fee per Income Cost Income break fee to hours to operation users hour even, break break UNIT Months even, even Birr per hr •Thresher A-1 26 2002 9,000 1,031 380 13,400 7,181 6,218 1.40 13.93 276.21 (w/o cleaner) (12 – 26) •Thresher A-2 23 2003 11,756 863 324 9,925 7,457 2,467 4.80 17.28 324.22 (w/o cleaner) (12 – 26) •Thresher B-1 2003 11,756 288 85 28 8,064 5,913 2,157 5.50 20.52 211.17 (w/o cleaner) •Thresher B-2 2003 13,430 348 100 25 8,700 6,343 2,355 5.70 18.23 253.71 (w/ cleaner) •Thresher D 2004 10,450 73 26 29 2,117 3,016 (-) - 41.30 104.00 (w/o cleaner) •Thresher C 2004 12,650 123 39 31 3,813 3,735 69 - 30.44 120.49 (w/ cleaner) •Thresher E 2004 14,885 239 66 30 7,170 6,536 638 - 27.33 217.88 (w/ cleaner)

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Table 31 Changes in income as service hours vary at custom-hiring rate of 2% of thresher output (Income and costs are in Ethiopian Birr unless otherwise specified; 1USD = Birr 8.60)

Service Gross Total Cost Net Income Payback Return on Hours Income Period, Investment Months 200 6,000 8,138 -2,138 225 6,750 8,500 -1,750 250 7,500 8,863 -1,363 275 8,250 9,225 -975 300 9,000 9,588 -588 325 9,750 9,951 -201 350 10,500 10,313 187 63.3 0.02 375 11,250 10,676 574 20.6 0.05 400 12,000 11,038 962 12.3 0.09 425 12,750 11,401 1,349 8.8 0.12 450 13,500 11,763 1,737 6.8 0.15 475 14,250 12,126 2,124 5.6 0.18 500 15,000 12,489 2,511 4.7 0.20

20,000

17,500 Gross Income Total Costs 15,000 Net Income

12,500

10,000 Breakeven Point 7,500

5,000

Value, Ethiopian Birr (ETB) 2,500

-2,500 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 475 500

-5,000

Hours of Operation

Fig. 40 - Trends in gross income, total cost and net income at varying operating hours at custom-hiring rate of 2% of thresher output

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Table 32 - Changes in income as service hours vary at custom hiring rate of 2.5% of thresher output (Income and costs are in Ethiopian Birr unless otherwise specified; 1USD = Birr 8.60)

Operating Gross Total Cost Net Payback Return on Period Income Income Period, Investment Months 200 7,500 8,138 -638 225 8,438 8,500 -63 250 9,375 8,863 512 23.1 0.06 275 10,313 9,225 1,087 10.9 0.12 300 11,250 9,588 1,662 7.1 0.17 325 12,188 9,951 2,237 5.3 0.22 350 13,125 10,313 2,812 4.2 0.27 375 14,063 10,676 3,387 3.5 0.32 400 15,000 11,038 3,962 3.0 0.36 425 15,938 11,401 4,537 2.6 0.40 450 16,875 11,763 5,112 2.3 0.43 475 17,813 12,126 5,686 2.1 0.47 500 18,750 12,489 6,261 1.9 0.50

20,000 Gross Income 17,500 Total Costs Net Income 15,000

12,500

10,000

7,500 Breakev en Point 5,000

Value, Ethiopian Birr (ETB) 2,500

0 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 475 500 -2,500

-5,000

Hours of Operation

Fig. 41 -Trends in gross income, total cost and net income at varying operating hours at custom-hiring rate of 2.5% of thresher output

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Table 33 Changes in income as service hours vary at custom hiring rate of 3% of thresher output (Income and costs are in Ethiopian Birr unless otherwise specified; 1USD = Birr 8.60)

Operating Gross Total Cost Net Payback Return on Period Income Income Period, Investment months 200 9,000 8,138 862 13.7 0.11 225 10,125 8,500 1,625 7.3 0.19 250 11,250 8,863 2,387 5.0 0.27 275 12,375 9,225 3,150 3.8 0.34 300 13,500 9,588 3,912 3.0 0.41 325 14,625 9,951 4,674 2.5 0.47 350 15,750 10,313 5,437 2.2 0.53 375 16,875 10,676 6,199 1.9 0.58 400 18,000 11,038 6,962 1.7 0.63 425 19,125 11,401 7,724 1.5 0.68 450 20,250 11,763 8,487 1.4 0.72 475 21,375 12,126 9,249 1.3 0.76 500 22,500 12,489 10,011 1.2 0.80

25,000 Gross Income 22,500 Total Costs 20,000 Net Income 17,500 15,000 12,500 10,000 7,500

5,000 Value, Ethiopian Birr (ETB) 2,500 0 -2,500 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 475 500 -5,000

Hours of Operation

Fig. 42 - Trends in gross income, total costs and net income with varying operating hours at 3% of thresher output

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3- Benefits to Farmers Farmers also gain time to do other productive jobs. Farmers also benefit from the use of the multi-crop thresher in terms of The bulk of the job is done; farmers time and costs savings as indicated glean and clean the threshed in Table 34. As grain (teff and materials which were thrown out maize) harvesting and threshing are with the straw. done almost at the same time by the Despite the fast adoption of the farmers in the community, the multi-crop thresher in Ethiopia, the unavailability of both animal and SAA-AP project continues its human workers often causes delays. adaptation work on thresher design Using the thresher, the threshing to optimize its capacity and cleaning costs were reduced significantly and efficiency. This should enhance its threshing can be done at any performance and could further appointed time with the service reduce costs to both manufacturers providers. The high threshing and farmers. capacity enables the farmers to bring home their crops on time minimizing the risks to damage and losses which could result from prolonged field storage.

Table 34 - Costs associated to teff and maize threshing using traditional threshing and multi- crop thresher

Features Traditional Threshing Multi-crop Thresher 1- Costs associated to teff threshing •Capacity 15 kg per man-hr 250 kg per hr •Manpower requirement 20 3 •Time required to thresh 1 ton of teff 8 days and more 4 hrs •Cost to farmer, Birr per ton Birr 900 Birr 120 2- Costs associated to maize threshing •Capacity 10 kg per man-hr 250 kg/hr •Manpower requirement 15 3 •Time required to thresh 1 ton 12 days and more 4 hrs •Cost to farmer, Birr per ton Birr 1,038 Birr 120

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SECTION 9 - LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 Project Strategy many clients as possible. The Over the last 10 years, the SAA-IITA presence of technology resource Agro-processing Project has group such as designers, disseminated different types of manufacturers, rural development machines for processing different agents and policy-makers during farm produce in Ghana and Benin demonstrations connects the extending to other African countries prospective users to the suppliers such as Ethiopia. and create confidence for locally- made technologies. The successful implementation of the project is due to good project The processing center has showcased management and team work among the different technologies, their the stakeholders. The project staff advantages and limitations to has direct interaction with the sustain an agro-processing target-users and partners to link the enterprise. A good feedback gap that hinders the development of mechanism must be in place to agro-processing industry in the capture information generated from region. the center for reference to improve adoption or further develop A project logframe is a necessary tool technologies. for the proper monitoring and implementation. Projects must A quick look at the project endeavor to develop a program achievements highlights the relevant to the needs and visibility of project in helping to environment of the target-clients. promote the agro-processing enterprise to provide sustainable Project implementation strategies income to farmers, agro-processors applied that proved to be useful are: and manufacturers. The project is 1) on-farm demonstrations that able to demonstrate that collective provides first hand information efforts of different agencies could about the technologies and a quick bring improve agro-processing evaluation of the technology in terms technologies to target beneficiaries. of investment viability; and 2) the establishment of model processing The SAA-AP project concentrates on centers that demonstrates the utility improving techniques and and advantages of the improved equipment, but just as importantly, technologies. the information, knowledge and skills- and the capacity to organize Field demonstrations are conducted these effectively – which small scale at a strategic time and venue to processors and manufacturers reduce associated costs to reach as require.

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The project not only provides locally and be assured that services immediate benefit to the people in for needed repair and maintenance the countries where they are are available. conducted but also validate the Agricultural machinery approaches enabling them to be manufacturing in rural Africa still replicated throughout the region. needs very strong support from both the government and the private  Strengthening Partnership, Capacity-building, Training sectors. The role of government entities is more explicit in providing One of the accomplishments of the follow-up training on fabrication and project is building up the capability maintenance management of of the partners and strengthening agricultural machinery, particularly the human resource-base in each the agro-processing machines. They country, recognizing the comparative also have important role on advantage of the local partners in formulating policies affecting the dealing directly with the end-users. availability and accessibility of The empowerment of the individual improve technologies and associated women within the groups has built services to the end users. The the communities' capacity to develop. private sectors should provide the It is the women's access to important needed raw materials and services to information, their social contacts, promote local manufacturing family authority and their wealth of industry. Importation procedures relevant knowledge which is the are complicated and costs are too foundation stone for family and high for the small-scale community development. manufacturers to handle. Another important achievement is The role of the manufacturing sector the training of manufacturers and is to provide farmers and agro- coordinating their activities so that processors direct access to agro- the technologies are supplied with processing equipment. They have an the right quality in the right place at important role in linking the the right time. The after-sales agricultural and industrial sectors service component of the training for which supporting legislation is makes the manufacturing industry still weak, if not lacking. more viable and attractive, There is a big potential for eliminating one of the constraints to collaboration but a big adoption of imported technologies, communication gap exists between the availability of spare parts and large and small-scale processors. services. In-country training courses Government agencies and conducted broadened the geographic development projects could fill this spread of the technologies where gap. users can now obtain equipment

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The participation of the private 3. Production of groundnut butter sectors must be encouraged and and oil in Ethiopia - A more supported. important objective of introducing the improved technologies for  Adoption and Utilization of groundnut processing is to prevent Improved Technologies microbial contamination. The Agro-processing equipment machines are helping to process introduced in Ghana and Benin are quickly for proper storage while simple, compact, easy to operate and waiting for favorable price in the maintain and addresses the diverse market. nature of African crop and food 4. Processing of grain and cereals in processing system. Considering the Ethiopia- Using the multi-crop economic and technical background thresher opened up a business of the target-users, the machines are activity among teff and maize applicable for multi-crop application farmers in Ethiopia. Service- or with dual, or multiple functions. providers are active and making Adoption cases discussed indicated good profit. Service-users benefit the most liked feature of the by saving time and reducing field machines is their mobility. This losses of their crops. allows the owner/operators to provide services to processors in remote Small-scale agro-processing was places. addressed by the project in the first 3 to 5 years. This scale is particularly Current agro-processing enterprises suited for women since it can be emanating from the project and are carried out in the home concurrent improving the quality of life of the with the other household activities. rural families through increased As linkages to markets are created income, employment, improved food through improved processing at the security, empowerment and nutrition household level, more mechanized include: machines and operations are 1. Production of gari in Ghana and introduced. This is now Benin – The improved technologies revolutionizing the development of resulted in increasing capacity and agro-processing industry in the rural improved quality of gari. areas of Benin, Ghana and Ethiopia. 2. Production of Sheanut butter in In addition to these established Ghana and Benin – With the areas, SAA-AP has also been improved technologies, Sheanut investigating new technologies in the butter production spread following areas; processing throughout the year and is perishable crops such as tomatoes, supplying the local and regional mangoes, pineapple, etc. markets.

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In general, the agro-processing manufacturing, operation and technologies introduced help realize maintenance management is done the farm household subsistence and through the cooperation of local agro- cash income objectives directly metal workshops selected from through efficient use of labor and recommendations of the additional cash income. At the collaborating development and village level, they add to existing extension programs. capacity. Investments into agro- Countries adopting the agro- processing projects are therefore processing technologies, where there justified since improving this sector are no trained manufacturers, of the production continuum has imported from Ghana and Benin proven to contribute to between 1995 and 1997. The sustainability, food security and numbers of countries importing is poverty alleviation. expected to reduce as the project responds to request for tapping local  Spreading Out artisans in manufacturing the The impact of the agro-processing equipment demanded. However, the project in Ghana and Benin is seen project emphasizes on the in the number of equipment importance of quality control so that fabricated and sold by collaborating agro-processing equipment are manufacturers and the increasing delivered and utilized to their full interest of new manufacturers to merits. fabricate the equipment. On request of government and non-  Impact on livelihood of the beneficiaries governmental organizations, the project extends its activities to other The use of improved agro-processing countries in East and West Africa technologies helps to produce value- where there is already existing added products similar to demand for improved agro-processing traditionally preferred qualities, and equipment. is nutritionally balanced. Farmers and processors could now produce in Limited by funding, the approach sufficient quantity for consumption being taken is to continue to and marketing. Coupled with strengthen the local human resource training and linkages to markets, the base (development and extension agro-processing industry is providing staff) and the manufacturers. The sustainable livelihood to farmers and development and extension staff is processors. sensitize on project objectives, strategies and activities, and allow As a result of the extra income from them to develop a suitable project for agro-processing businesses, families implementation in their countries. have seen significant improvements Support for training on in their lives. For instance, some

123 families now send their children to The manufacturers' network and its school and others have opted to recognition at the Ministry of Rural improve their homes, bought land Development level is strong evidence and livestock with the extra income. that the project is scaling up. All these contribute to increased Extension workers know of the security in the family. equipment and the manufacturers in the network. Social impact is felt on the growing and continuing participation of  More Challenges Ahead farmers and processors. It helps build up groups and strengthens the The agro-processing technologies social structure for family and introduced by SAA-AP project have community development. generated interest among the crop growers and processors. Although The agro-processing equipment is feedback from users is satisfactory, providing a significant income to the rate of diffusion of the technology manufacturers and technicians. This is still slow. Several issues of design, is evident in the increasing number social science, utilization science, and of sales of equipment. Many more technology transfer require increased new manufacturers are fabricating attention for research and and selling the machines, even those development. not formally trained by the project. Some workshops concentrate on For agro-industry to develop in providing repair and maintenance Africa, a number of interventions are services. still needed. Any intervention introduced must be profitable if  Scaling up farmers and agri-businesses are to invest on infrastructures. Influenced by the good examples and impact of the SAA-AP projects in 1- Sourcing Appropriate Technologies Ghana and Benin, the Government of In order to cope with emerging Guinea formed the Postharvest markets and continuing Technology Development Agency in technological development, a range 1996 to spearhead the development of technologies, with the associated of the postharvest sector in Guinea. services, are still needed that will The agency is to adapt improve serve the small-scale operators. postharvest technologies for Technologies must be consistent dissemination in Guinea. with the level of sophistication that The active involvement of partners farmers can understand and from government and non- afford. To the extent possible, governmental organizations builds these technologies need to be easy up their confidence to manage and to communicate and replicate in sustain the program and the order to facilitate farmer-to-farmer adoption of improved technologies. diffusion.

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2- New Product Development 4- Access to Credit Traditional products are improved Agro-processing machines are but new products must be expensive investments. With developed to expand the market limited cash, agro-processing potential of a crop. New high machine is not an immediate quality products should be similar priority to small-scale farmers. to existing preferences to ensure a Access to credit is an option to high level of acceptability. Also enable them to establish small- improving the nutritional scale enterprises. SAA-AP must attributes of the crops must be work with partner organizations considered along with providing that can provide credit and regular expanded utilization alternatives back-up support to the for added value products. beneficiaries. 3- Linkage to Market 5- Continuing Training For rural small-scale processors, Working with entrepreneurs, marketing their produce is one of continuing training is needed to the most serious most serious upgrade their skills. The project constraints. The poor road observed that continuing training network in the rural areas could be more beneficial to support prevents access to better markets. and upgrade the skills of those They are limited to the local already trained, rather than market and have limited extending training to new comers. bargaining power. The project Continuing training could bring out could facilitate to create their entrepreneurial initiative of the linkage to other markets and beneficiaries hence could facilitate market information. adoption.

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Annex 1- PROJECT LOGFRAME

Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Date project started: 1994______Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000______

Narrative Summary Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs) Means of Verification Important Assumptions Overall Goal Income of target groups increased. Double income of owners, users and Monitoring Reports manufacturers after one year of utilization Project Purpose Improved agro-processing 100 additional agro-processing enterprises set up - List of entrepreneurs adopting technologies are adopted. and functioning in 2001 (50 in each country) - Monitoring reports

Outputs 1. Project management system - Project Logframe Project reports established - Project management team 2. Agro-processing technology By end of 2001: Test reports identified, evaluated and adapted - 4 new technologies introduced: (Modified Fabrication drawings multi-crop thresher, rice mill, dry-type grinder, grain polisher) Operational features - Palm fruit digester developed - Palm kernel cracker developed IITA reports - Groundnut sheller (motorized) adapted Manufacturers' report - Oil expeller tested

1 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

3. Manufacturers' network Manufacturers' Network formed in Ghana and in Certificate of Registration  established Benin by 2001 List of Members Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SAA/IITA signed

Narrative Summary Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs) Means of Verification Important Assumptions

Outputs By the end of 2001: 4. Agro-processing technology - Field demonstrations conducted: 40 (Ghana); 35 - Field demonstration reports information disseminated to target (Benin) groups - Trained operators/users: - Monitoring reports 50 (Ghana); 90 (Benin) - Manufacturers' training conducted: 3 each - Training reports country

- Operational Manuals published: - Publications 5 (Ghana); 3 (Benin)

- 2 Video Clips produced (1 in each country) - Participated in 6 agricultural fairs (3 each country) - Radio broadcast: 4 (Ghana); Benin (?)

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 2 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

Narrative Summary Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs) Means of Verification Important Assumptions 5. Agro-processing equipment Number of technologies adopted at the end of purchased and utilized 2001: Technology : Ghana Benin - Sales records - Grater and press 25 20 - Sifter 20 5 - Chipper/Slicer, manual 5 - - Monitoring reports motorized 5 5 - Wet-type grinder 5 15 - Multi-crop thresher 5 8 - Rice Mill 5 7 - Grain Polisher - 5 - Digester 20 3 - Dry-type Grinder 2 2 - New products 3 2 TOTAL 75 67

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 3 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

6. Product quality enhanced, By end of 2001: utilization of crops expanded, - Equipment used for production of 3 new - Monitoring reports quantity of products increased products in Ghana and 2 new products in Benin - Double gari production - Test reports - Reduced broken rice by 5-10% - Increased oil recovery from sheanut and groundnut by 20%

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 4 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

I- Activity Logframe - Ghana

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Staff Duration Cost/Equip Assumptions Output 1 – Project management system established 1.1 Planning, monitoring and evaluation Project Management 3 times per Project Reports Team year Minutes of meetings 1.2 Sensitizing the project goals and the Project Management Continuing More stakeholders roles of partners/collaborators Team participating Output 2 – Agro-processing technologies identified, evaluated and adapted 2.1 Conduct survey and analysis of agro- processing technologies 1. For Cassava D. Ankrah Continuing Survey Reports 2. For Palm Oil L. Halos-Kim 3. For Groundnut & Sheanut 4. For Maize 2.2 Select and adapt appropriate V. Akoto Continuing Project Reports technologies to the need of the users D. Ankrah More appropriate P. Quansah technologies available L. Halos-Kim Manufacturers 2.3 Modifying agro-processing technologies L. Halos-Kim Continuing Improve technologies to the needs of the users P. Quansah

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 5 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Staff Duration Cost/Equip Assumptions Output 3 – Manufacturers’ Network established 3.1 Identify manufacturers P. Quansah Continuing List of manufacturers with addresses 3.2 Establish and sensitize SAA-IITA Agro- P. Quansah 2 days in Form network of processing Manufacturers’ Network April 2001 manufacturers

3.3 Plan activities of manufacturers’ P. Quansah To be Workplan network covered in Activity 3.2 3.4 Monitor quality of manufactured P. Quansah Continuing Monitoring Report products L. Halos-Kim V. Akoto 3.5 Establish a functional supply store P. Quansah October More regular supply of Manufacturers 2001 spare parts 3.6 Develop operation and maintenance P. Quansah Continuing Manuals for each manuals Manufacturers equipment (grater, press, chipper) 3.7 Participate in promotional activities P. Quansah Continuing Field demonstration Manufacturers reports

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 6 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Staff Duration Cost/Equip Assumptions 3.8 Update sales records regularly P. Qaunsah Quarterly Sales Record V. Akoto D. Ankrah

Output 4 – Agro-processing technology information disseminated to target groups. 4.1 Identify target groups for selected technologies: D. Ankrah 1st Quarter List of target groups to 1. Cassava equip package V. Akoto 2001 visit 2. Palm oil digester 3. Wet-type grinder 4.2 Conduct field demonstrations for D. Ankrah From 2 Field demonstration selected technologies: V. Akoto quarter 2001 reports

4.3 Develop training and extension materials D. Ankrah From May Operational & - Cassava processing equipment package V. Akoto 2001 maintenance manuals (Grater, Press, Sifter) P. Quansah for grater, press digester - Digester L. Halos-Kim 4.4 Participate in agriculture and food D. Ankrah Per Report fairs/exhibitions at district, regional and invitation Visitors logbook national levels

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 7 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Staff Duration Cost/Equip Assumptions 4.5 Promotion through national media D. Ankrah Continuing - 1 cassava processing video cassette - Reports 4.6 Promote the idea of agro-processing D. Ankrah Continuing Trip reports technologies to NGOs, district V. Akoto assemblies, government organizations, P. Quansah etc. 4.7 Train manufacturers on manufacturing D. Ankrah Training reports & maintenance of improved agro- P. Quansah processing technologies: L. Halos-Kim March - Thresher 15-30 June - Wet- type grinder & Rice mill December - (Dry-type grinder) Output 5 – Agro-processing purchased and utilized

5.1 Link buyers/users to manufacturers, D. Ankrah Continuing Report credit facilities/ financial institutions, P. Quansah etc. V. Akoto Visitors logbook

List of buyers, banks, credit institutions with addresses & contact person

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 8 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Staff Duration Cost/Equip Assumptions 5.2 Conduct follow-up visits to D. Ankrah Continuing - Monitoring Report manufacturers, users and processors P. Quansah - Field trip reports V. Akoto 5.3 Collaborate with NGOs, district D. Ankrah Continuing Report nd assemblies and government P. Quansah from 2 organizations, etc. in the establishment V. Akoto Quarter of Agro-processing cottage industries Output 6 – Product quality enhanced, diversified products produced and products quantity increased.

6.1 Demonstrate new technologies and crop D. Ankrah 3rd Quarter Report products 6.2 Train processors in new crop products D. Ankrah 3rd Quarter Report

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 9 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

II- Activity Logframe - Benin

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Assumptions Staff Duration Cost/Equip Output 1 – Project management system established 1.1 Planning, monitoring and evaluation Project 3 times per Project Reports Management year Minutes from Team meeting

1.2 Sensitizing the project goals and the Project Continuing More stakeholders roles of partners/collaborators Management participating Team

Outpt 2 – Agro-processing technologies identified, evaluated and adapted 2.1 Conduct survey and analysis of agro- 3 months processing technologies (to coincide Survey Reports 1. For Cassava A. Aoga with monitoring 2. For Sheanut DiFOV activities) 3. For Maize L. Halos-Kim 4. For Rice 5. For Oil Palm 6. For Groundnut 7. Tomato, Pineapple

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 10 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Assumptions Staff Duration Cost/Equip 2.2 Select and adapt appropriate A. Aoga Continuing IITA Project Reports technologies to the needs of the users Partners fund More appropriate L. Halos-Kim technologies available Manufacturers

Output 3 – Manufacturers' Network established. 3.1 Convene manufacturers to form A. Aoga Continuing - List of active Network T. Wakili manufacturers with L Halos-Kim addresses - Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SAA/IITA signed

3.2 Register Manufacturers' Network with D. Sabirou Before April Registration the Ministry of Internal Affairs A. Aoga 2001 Certificate T. Wakili issued 3.3 Plan activities of Manufacturers' D. Sabirou 1 week (Dec Work plan Network A. Aoga 2000) T. Wakili

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 11 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Assumptions Staff Duration Cost/Equip 3.4 Monitor quality of manufactured D. Sabirou Continuing Monitoring Report products A. Aoga Halos-Kim 3.5 Develop operation and maintenance D. Sabirou Continuing 1 operational & manuals Halos-Kim maintenance manual for each equipment: grater, press, thresher, rice mill, wet-type grinder

3.6 Update sales records regularly A. Aoga Quaterly Sales Record

3.7 Participate in promotional activities D. Sabirou Continuing Report from activities Manufacturers A. Aoga T. Wakili

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 12 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

3.8 Establish a functional supply store for D. Sabirou November More regular supply of manufacturers A. Aoga 2001 spare parts

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Assumptions Staff Duration Cost/Equip 3.9 Establish distribution channel for spare D. Sabirou December Functional channel parts 2001

Output 4 – Agro-processing technology information disseminated potential stakeholders. 4.1 Conduct field demonstrations A. Aoga Continuing Field demonstration D. Sabirou report T. Wakili 4.2 Conduct training for users, processors A. Aoga and manufacturers L. Halos- - Thresher and polisher Kim 1-15 Feb Report - Rice Mill D. Sabirou 1-15 June Demo unit of - Dry Grinder T. Wakili 1-21 Nov machines 4.3 - Subscribe to mass media (TV, radio, A. Aoga Continuing News clipping newspapers) to advertise technologies T. Wakili Video clips - Develop posters Manufacturers Posters - Produce video Halos-Kim

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 13 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

4.4 Visit different partners (NGOs, users, A. Aoga Continuing Report financial institutions district assemblies, T. Wakili government organizations, etc.) to D. Sabirou promote the idea of agro-processing technologies

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Assumptions Staff Duration Cost/Equip Output 5 – Agro-processing purchased and utilized

5.1 Disseminate information on agro- L. Halos- Continuing Report processing technologies and their Kim features to target groups A. Aoga T. Wakili D. Sabirou

5.2 Link buyers/users to manufacturers, A. Aoga Continuing Report credit facilities/ financial institutions, T. Wakili Visitor logbook etc. D. Sabirou List of buyers, banks, credit institutions with addresses and contact person

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 14 12/04/2000 Project Title: Developing Agro-processing Project duration: 10 years Year project started: ___1994___ Target Groups: Agro-processors and small to Date prepared: ______Enterprises in Ghana and Benin medium scale entrepreneurs Date Revised: Nov 21, 2000____

5.3 Produce specification sheets for agro- L. Halos-Kim April to June Fact sheets processing technologies A. Aoga 2001 T. Wakili D. Sabirou

Activities Inputs: Expected Output Important Assumptions Staff Duration Cost/Equip 5.4 Conduct training for buyers/users on A. Aoga Continuing Training operation and management of equipment T. Wakili reports D. Sabirou L. Halos-Kim Output 6 – Product quality enhanced, diversified products produced and product quantity increased

6.1 Demonstrate use of agro-processing A. Aoga 2rd Quarter Report equipment for the production of new T. Wakili products D. Sabirou 6.2 Train processors in processing new A. Aoga 3rd Quarter Report products T. Wakili D. Sabirou L. Halos-Kim

Developing agro-processing enterprises in Ghana & Benin/ p. 15 12/04/2000 Annex 2 - Monitoring Visits and Interviews (November 2004) Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Benin

by:

LEONIDES HALOS-KIM Consultant, SAA-AP Project

Credits and appreciation for assistance during monitoring visits and interviews to:

Mr. Aoga Antoine SAA-AP Project Coordinator- Benin

December 2005

Annex 2 – Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Benin

CONTENTS

Page A. Metal Fabricators and Manufacturers ______1 1. COBEMAG in Parakou ______1 2. The ‘Welder from Kere’ in Glazoué ______2 3. Atelier et Service de Formation (SOCOMÉ) in Savé District _____ 3 4. CEFACOM in Azove Town ______3 5. Ets - AFM (Atelier de Soudure-Fabrication Métallique) in Hagoumé ______4 B. Cassava Processors and Processing Sites______4 6. Cassava Processors in Savé ______4 7. Cassava Processing Site in Toui Village ______5 8. Grating Service Provider in Borone Village ______6 9. Cassava Processing in Eni ______6 10. Cassava Processing in Banikani Village ______7 11. Cassava Processing in Avakpa ______7 12. Cassava Processing in Agoudenou Village ______8 13. Cassava Processor in Hinvi Village ______9 14. Gari Processing in Davohoué Village ______10 15. Cassava Processors in Sirarou______10 16. Cassava Processor in Aligoudou ______11 C. Rice Millers and Mills ______13 17. Rice Miller in Beroubouey Village ______13 18. Rice Millers in Boké Village ______13 19. Rice Millers in Mani Village ______14 D. Sheanut Processors and Processing Complexes ______15 20. Sheanut Processing in Tourou Village ______15 21. Sheanut Processing in Korobororou ______16 22. Sheanut Processing in Baká ______17 23. Boutique la Qualité in Parakou ______18 E. Maize Farmers and Threshers ______19 24. Maize Threshing in Sori Village ______19 25. Maize Threshing in Atomey Village ______19 26. Multi-crop Thresher in Lokokoukoume ______20

ii List of Figures Page 1- Mr. W. Erasme, General Manager of COBEMAG – The Manufacturer of good quality equipment ______1 2- The IITA-designed grater fabricated by the 'Welder from Kere’ displayed in front of his workshop ______2 3 - On sale by the roadside are agro-processing machines fabricated by SOCOMÉ. Easy access markets facilitate product promotion and sales ______3 4 - CEFACOM workshop equipped to supply good quality processing machines and associated services ______4 5 - Mr. Vlavo Job, Ets-AFM Director fabricates, sells and repairs agro-processing machines ______4 6 - Cassava processors in Savé depend on grating service- provider to pursue their business ______5 7 - Cassava processing site in Toui Village being developed to be equipped with a grater and double screw presses to produce gari, tapioca and flour ______5 8 - Mr. Boni Hubert (Baba Oléo) with his grater on the move to service cassava processors in the village ______6 9 - The double screw press in Eni eliminated the use of stone piles to dewater grated cassava ______7 10 - The cassava processing center in Avakpa Village managed and operated by the Dagbe Bamide Women Group. It is equipped with graters, double screw presses and frying stoves ______7 11– ‘Processing pays’ say the Gbezealou Women of Agodenou who produce and market gari and other food products from cassava using simple and efficient machines ______8 12- Cassava processing in Mr. Hessou’s farm improves the value of his crops and provides employment to men and women in the village ______9 13- The double screw press is one of the processing facilities in use by the Bobonsou women in Davohoué helping them increase their processing capacity ______10 14 -The Taki-Sari Women Group in Sirarou continues to grow in membership as their processing and marketing operations expand. The women acquired simple processing equipment to process Cassava into gari, tapioca, flour and bread-making ______11

iii List of Figures Page 15- Cassava processing in Aligoudou using 2 types of graters, a fermenting rack, double screw press and frying stoves. The processors are building up their processing capacity and discovering the potentials of Cassava as a cash crop through processing ______12 16- Mr. Amadu Getti and his rice mill providing his family with good income. He plans to buy another rice mill to cope with the growing demand for this service in the village ______13 17- The Nanaye Women Group and their rice mill in Boké Village. They believe rice milling is a potential business ______14 18- The Sheanut complex consisting of Sheanut cracker and the wet-type grinder is providing a reliable income to the Borignindou women group and other processors in Tourou Village ______15 19- Sheanut processing compound in Tourou has a processing capacity of about 1 ton per day keeps the women busy and appreciating good business management ______15 20- Members of Sodom'se Women Group pose with Mr. Aoga (SAA-AP Coordinator, Benin) in front of their processing building ______16 21- The Sheanut complex in Baká operates more than 8 hours on a normal business day ______17 22- Mdme. M. Zacharie Kora at the IRCOD boutique where samples of products from their women beneficiaries are displayed to find their markets ______18 23- The thresher in Atomey is being utilized at full capacity by more than 300 maize farmers. The spring actuated grain cleaner/ sorter (forefront) lasted only for two seasons ______19 24- The multi-crop thresher in Mr. Hounou’s farm has helped cope with de-husking and shelling maize during peak harvest season and when the ‘price is right’ ______21

iv Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Benin

A. Metal Fabricators and Manufacturers

1. COBEMAG in Parakou COBEMAG (Coopérative Béninoise de Materiel Agricole) located in Parakou, initially formed to assist member farmers with machines for their cotton farming, is a collaborating manufacturer of the SAA-AP program since 1996, and a member of Réseau F.M.T.A., manufacturers’ network in Benin. It is the key manufacturer and supplier of agro-processing equipment in 1- Mr. W. Erasme, General Manager of COBEMAG – Northern Benin but has 21 service The Manufacturer of good quality equipment centers throughout the country.

The General Manager, Mr. Whannou Further, Mr. Erasme indicated that Erasme relates the benefits gained by the program’s monitoring activity had the company as partner of the help them realize the importance of SAA-AP program. Since joining the after-sales service to maintain good program, COBEMAG is able to customer relation and help processors diversify its products. Specifically, maintain and optimize the use of the program provides information on their machines. Through this activity, design of reliable post-harvest COBEMAG, as is the other members equipment appropriate for the local of the network, gained a reputation as processors and provides associated ‘manufacturer of good quality training on manufacturing and equipment’. ‘Policy-makers and servicing of the same machines. They major government and are also linked to potential customers. non-government rural development This increased the sales and income programs come to us for advice and of COBEMAG. The sales of supply of required equipment’, he agro-processing equipment, which added. Their participation in the used to be 10% of the total income of project also enabled them to the company, now contribute at least participate in local, regional and 30%. international trade fairs opening up to more market and earned them

1 various recognitions and awards for country which is to be funded by Food quality fabrication. and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The program had also sensitized ‘The biggest challenge we have now is COBEMAG management to make funding the activities of the network. modifications on machine designs to Agricultural machinery business is adapt to local conditions. COBEMAG difficult because farmers and now puts more emphasis on product processors can’t afford to buy them. development to improve their Agro-processing and introduction of business. For example, when the improved equipment are new in wet-type grinder was introduced to Africa and therefore we need to work produce butter from Sheanut, they harder in terms of reaching the noticed that the processors need to customers’, Mr. Erasme finishes with crush the nuts into smaller pieces for a positive outlook. more effective grinding. They then adapted a nut crusher with the 2. The ‘Welder from Kere’ in wet-type grinder which increased the Glazoué adoption of the system, now known as A grater similar to IITA-design was the ‘Sheanut Complex’. As they spotted in front of this roadside continue to relate with the customer, mechanical workshop on the they are now developing a kneader to Cotonou-Parakou Road in Glazoué be included in the Sheanut processing District. complex. Mr. Erasme also noted the importance of training to improve the skills of their technicians and to make good training for operators on machine operation and maintenance. The recognition of the government given to the Manufacturer’s Network (Réseau F.M.T.A.) formed among the collaborating manufacturers in Benin, shows the government commitment and confidence on the supply of good 2- The IITA-designed grater fabricated by the quality locally-made machines. The 'Welder from Kere’ displayed in front of his workshop Ministry of Industry has also helped technicians of the network members The workshop provides welding to undergo refresher training to services for repair of various types of upgrade their skill in Tunisia in 2004. tools and fabricates doors and Recently, the network has been asked windows for about 12 years already. to participate in planning the In 2001, the owner sent his son to Mechanization Program of the C.F.T.S. in Ouidah, a member of

2 F.M.T.A. (Manufacturers’ Network in The owner, Mr. Homer Onidje, a Benin) for training. From there, the welder turned entrepreneur, is a son saw the selling potential of the former staff of COBEMAG in grater and double screw press. When Parakou, a member of F.M.T.A. and he went back to their workshop, he then of Songhaï, an international started fabricating the grater and NGO for rural development. He double screw press. The first unit of decided to set-up his own workshop grater was used to demonstrate to adopting agro-processing equipment processors and provide grating for his main products. services in the village. This has He was encouraged by the number of created demand. In 2003, they sold 2 sales of the agro-processing machines sets of grater and press while he saw in COBEMAG. As soon as he continuing to provide grating started, he received orders for the services. IITA- designed grater from processors who are using the same. He sold 5 3. Atelier et Service de units of the grater. Formation (SOCOMÉ) in Savé District Assessing the processors needs, he immediately adapted the double Located farther up the screw press to be more portable and Cotonou-Parakou Road, in Savé affordable. The modified press sold District, the Atelier et Service de quickly. He keeps his business Formation (SOCOMÉ), lines up its running by fabricating anything the agro-processing machines for sale. customers ask. Not in the line of prototypes on display, but is on the billboard, are He sees that more equipment are the drawings of the IITA-designed needed by the processors. His grater and double press. experiences in COBEMAG help him to adapt designs thru association with the customer and testing. ‘The business is good but the processors do not have the cash to pay for machines. Only if there are programs, like NGO, that could support them ’, he sighs.

4. CEFACOM in Azove Town CEFACOM (Centre de Formation de Fabrication et d’Ajustage en Construction Metallique) joined F.M.T.A. in 2003. Its workshop is 3 - On sale by the roadside are agro-processing machines fabricated by SOCOMÉ. Easy access located along the national road in markets facilitate product promotion and sales Lokossa, Aplahoué District, Azove Town, Mono Department.

3 CEFACOM adapts and fabricates different agro-processing machines including cassava grater, rice mill, palm oil digester, press, groundnut decorticator, etc.

4- CEFACOM workshop equipped to supply good quality processing machines and associated services 5- Mr. Vlavo Job, Ets-AFM Director fabricates, sells and repairs agro-processing machines The well-equipped workshop is established with the assistance of the In 2003, he fabricated and sold 18 Belgium government. They provide single screw presses for an training to local artisans. NGO-assisted project. He noted that 5. Ets - AFM (Atelier de the machines are good but people Soudure-Fabrication could not buy unless through project Métallique) in Hagoumé funds. A metal workshop located along the B. Cassava Processors and national road in Hagoumé, Dogbo Processing Sites displays small-scale agro-processing machines such as graters which look 6. Cassava Processors in Savé like a down-sized model of the IITA-designed grater. The owner, Mr. A cassava processing shed along the Vlavo Job, is a welder trained in Cotonou-Parakou Road is being used Azové and in Parakou. by a group of 20 women who process cassava into gari and tapioca. At one Mr. Job started his business in 2002 time, the group received assistance fabricating doors, windows and metal from a rural development NGO grills. He noticed that people need providing them with grater and press. agro-processing machines as he keeps They, however, did not cope with the receiving jobs to repair their graters. machine operation and maintenance. This encouraged him to go into After few months, the grater and the fabrication of graters, and cassava press, broken, were abandoned. slicers, which are displayed in front of his workshop for sale. He copies the The women continue to use the graters which were brought to his processing shed. An entrepreneur shop for repair; some of them were from the village comes to provide fabricated by CEFACOM. grating service to the women for a fee.

4 He comes to the site from 4:00 o’clock an entrepreneur in Cotonou and in the afternoon. When done, he managed by his brother and a friend leaves the grater in the site but from the village. bringing home the engine. Interestingly, the grater was bought 7 years ago (1997) from CIJOFAM, a group of technicians trained by C.F.T.S. (a member of F.M.T.A.) in Ouidah. The grater is based on the conventional local design but has adopted the grating assembly of the

6- Cassava processors in Savé depend on grating IITA-designed grater. service-provider to pursue their business The operation in the site started in The women prefer this kind of September 2004 currently providing arrangement. It frees them from the regular employment to 6 women who problems of machine operation and fries the gari daily. Additional maintenance keeping them focused in workers are hired on casual basis to their processing. The women harvest and bring cassava to the site. appreciate the machines reduced the In addition to gari, the center will drudgery in cassava processing also produce tapioca and flour from allowing them to increase their cassava. processing capacity and income, and The manager, Mr. Djossou Arouna is still gain more time to spend with a diesel mechanic by training and their families. foresees a bright prospect of the business. In the last 2 months of 7. Cassava Processing Site in operation, they are now developing Toui Village their market within the village and in A new cassava processing site is the town market. Other processors in being established in Toui Village the village also come to the site to along the Cotonou-Parakou Road. A grate and press their cassava which grater and two double-screw presses provides additional income from the are positioned in front of a frying facility. shed. The machines are provided by

7- Cassava processing site in Toui Village being developed to be equipped with a grater and double screw presses to produce gari, tapioca and flour

5 8. Grating Service Provider in The processors in the village are Borone Village happy with the arrangement. Grating service is easily accessible which Mr. Boni Hubert, an auto-mechanic allows them to program their gari in Borone Village, Tchaourou Town, and tapioca production effectively. To invested in a portable cassava grater date, there are 4 additional graters which he saw during a demonstration servicing the processors, but are by the SAA AP backed by the CREP operated on sites where processors go program in 1995. He does not process to grate their cassava. Their grating ‘gari’ himself but saw it as an business is also doing well. opportunity to help the people in his village and at the same time earn his Providing grating service had income. improved Mr. Boni’s social status and has earned him sufficient income. He re-invested part of his income in a 2-ha cashew farm and uses part of it to support family needs such as children’ schooling and plastering his mud house with cement. His popularity in the village has given him an important role in village development being elected the President of the village youth association. Mr. Boni’s operation has provided a good feedback on the design and 8- Mr. Boni Hubert (Baba Oléo) with his grater on the move to service cassava processors in the utility of the grater resulting in a village simpler grater and on how to make grating a profitable farm enterprise. Mr. Boni carries his grater around the village at the back of his IITA has called Mr. Boni ‘the Grater motorbike. He books his customers President’. In the village he is known one day before the operation. He can as Baba Oleo (Chief of Grater) or service for up to 35 customers in a day Baba Kupo (Chief of Engine). with a gross earning of CFA 1,500 to 4,500. As a practicing mechanic, he 9. Cassava Processing in Eni maintains and keeps his grater in In 1998, a group of six women good condition all the time. His grater processors in Eni Village formed to is probably the oldest of the avail of a loan to acquire a package of IITA-designed grater in the locality cassava processing equipment which is still very functional. provided through a rural development project by IRCOD, a French NGO. The group called

6 themselves Isso-Issinadou which cassava to process for as far as 4 km means may God bless you. away. The group doesn’t hire operators; the members operate the grater and press. From time to time they provide grating and pressing services to other processors in the neighborhood. The group felt their number is manageable and doesn’t intend to extend membership to other processors.

10. Cassava Processing in Banikani Village The Sênoumatê Women Group in 9- The double screw press in Eni eliminated the use Banikani also formed to avail of of stone piles to dewater grated cassava IRCOD assistance. They were IRCOD program required the group provided with grater and double to contribute a certain amount of cash screw press. A conflict in (CFA70,000) plus water and gravel management however prevented towards the construction of a store them to use the facility. The press and a machine shed. The land was was abandoned and the grater could provided by the group. not be located.

The construction was completed in 10 11. Cassava Processing in Avakpa months after which the grater and The Dagbe Bamide Women Group in double screw press were delivered. A Avakpa received a generous donation fenced pressing and fermenting of rural infrastructures including concrete platform was provided which agro-processing machines from the drains effluent water to a covered pit. African Development Fund (ADF) in This helps keep the surrounding tidy. 1999. A social worker from the Members used to process using Ministry of Women Affairs in Allada manual rasper to grate cassava and identified the group and recognized pile stones on bagged grated cassava their hard work and self-help to de-water. The new facility had development initiative helped them to improve their recommending them for the ADF production. They now have to buy benefit. As Dagbe Bamide means-

10-The cassava processing center in Avakpa Village managed and operated by the Dagbe Bamide Women Group. It is equipped with graters, double screw presses and frying stoves

7 after your suffering, good thing will Carder Atlantique to establish a site come one day, the women are happy for a Model Processing Center. One that this project has come to their of criteria for site selection was the village. diversity of crops grown in the area. This will provide an opportunity to The group was provided with demonstrate and test different processing shed, 1 grater with petrol technologies and technology engine, 4 double screw presses, frying packages. stoves and water well. The machines were selected and procured in The site was provided with grater, consultation with the women double screw press, fermenting stand, processors. APROMAH, a member of wet-type grinder, multi-crop thresher Réseau- F.M.T.A., also a beneficiary and palm fruit digester. They were of ADF fabricated and supplied the provided on loan on the assumption machines. that the center will be a self-sustaining facility for training The group members were trained by and demonstration and therefore APROMAH technician on the should be able to pay for its operation and maintenance of the operations. machines. They seldom require an outside operator, until the 2nd grater The processing shed equipped with a with diesel-engine was added to their number of frying stoves was built for facilities due to their increasing the group by the Carder Atlantique capacity. The women felt that the program. Carder program also grater with petrol engine was easy provided the group a conventional enough to operate. local grater and single screw press. They use the facilities for their own processing but also extend grating and pressing services to the processors within the village and the neighboring villages. Improved processing provided a decent income for the women to buy food for their families and send their children to school. With increasing processing and gari production capacity, they now look at organizing their market. 11–‘Processing pays’ say the Gbezealou Women of Agodenou who produce and market gari and other food products from cassava using simple 12. Cassava Processing in and efficient machines Agoudenou Village Working with the Ministry of Rural The Gbezealou Women Group now Development (DiFOV), the SAA-AP with 16 members (3 are men) project selected Agodenou Village in manages the facility. Among the

8 various technologies demonstrated, the neighboring villages and Cotonou only the gari processing package was come to the center to buy our gari. well adopted. The facilities helped We charge higher price for our first the community process their food and class gari. The customers are provide them a major source of satisfied.’ income. The women normally use the Gari processing using improved facilities to process their own cassava machines is proving to be a good and provide grating and pressing enterprise in the village. The former services to other processors in the grater operator of the Gbezealou village. They hired a man operator group saw the increasing demand for for the grater who also helped them to grating services so he invested in a keep track of their processing grater privately while continuing to activities. assist the Gbezealou women. He now The women claim gari processing provides grating services to the other pays. Over the years, the women processors and is able to improve his realized that the market for their family’s living standard from his good quality gari is expanding. income. Improving and maintaining the quality has been the focus of their 13. Cassava Processor in Hinvi management operation since last Village year. They observed that the The respondent, Mr. Hessou George, stainless grating sheet they are using was a civil servant turned farmer- produces a whiter pulp than the local entrepreneur in 2002 on retirement. sheet; therefore they continue to use He farms cassava, maize, oil palm in it. The hired fryers are also paid Hinvi Village, Atlantique according to the quality of gari they Department. While farming, he produce. This gives them an realized that farming is not good incentive to concentrate on their without processing. ‘With processing work. you can sell your products easily,’ he The President of the women group, added. Mdme. Abassi Houton, proudly says He then established his gari ‘we are famous for good quality gari processing site within the farmstead. in the area. Many customers from He built a shed and installed 6 frying

12- Cassava processing in Mr. Hessou’s farm improves the value of his crops and provides employment to men and women in the village

9 stoves, and bought a grater and a the initial group. In 2002, they press from CAMEMEC, a member of acquired a 2nd grater through a loan F.M.T.A.). He now hires workers to from CARDER. fry gari for him. In order to optimize Two mechanic/technicians were the use of the grater to increase his trained to operate and maintain the income, he moves it around the graters and other facilities. village to service other processors who could not bring their cassava to The Village Chief supervises the the center. groups. He said, ‘group management requires a good supervisor who will Mr. Hessou keeps a good record of his guide the farmers and processors in farm and processing activities. Based their farming and processing on this, he can say that agriculture is activities and help them to a profitable business. Encouraged by understand the profitability of their his gari processing business, he plans activities’. He commits to continue to to buy machines to process his maize supervise his people for as long as and palm oil produce, as well. needed to help them improve their lives. 14. Gari Processing in Davohoué Village Our respondent is the Chief of the Village, Mr. Foton Basadji. He advises and supervises the women in the village in their farming and processing activities. Mr. Basadji helped to form the Bobonsou (which means it is good to be together) Women Group initially to improve their farming. Later, the women realized that farming cassava does not pay unless it is processed. 13-The double screw press is one of the processing facilities in use by the Bobonsou women in In 1998, the group bought grater, Davohoué helping them increase their processing capacity press and sifter to enable them to improve their processing methods. The facilities allow them to process 15. Cassava Processors in Sirarou the produce from their farms and still buy more cassava from the local Cassava processing in Sirarou has market. been expanding, so is the number of processors. The Taki-Sari Women The processing business proved to be Group formed in 1992 with 6 profitable; other processing groups members now has 52 members, were formed following the success of including 1 man. The name of the

10 group, Taki-Sari, means nobody In 2004, IRCOD provided loan to the cheats which embodies their group to acquire and install a philosophy in life, that is, if they have bread-making equipment package. something they always share equally. IRCOD assists the group in Conditions for membership to the constructing the housing, and in group are tough. They emphasize on training the women on bread-making. members’ character and ability to work in a group. The large amount of processing in the center however resulted in problems The group started processing cassava of draining effluent water from using manual rasper until 1996 when cassava. The water well near the the improved processing machines center was contaminated which were introduced to them by the caused conflict among the villagers. SAA-AP project. The project provided The conflict was settled and a grater and sifter to the group on processing continues as the villagers loan. The women used the facilities found a new water source. and saw the business was good. It

14-The Taki-Sari Women Group in Sirarou continues to grow in membership as their processing and marketing operations expand. The women acquired simple processing equipment to process Cassava into gari, tapioca, flour and recently bread-making encouraged them to work harder and 16. Cassava Processor in in one year they were able to repay Aligoudou their loan. In the same year, the The Massitohou Women Group with membership increased to 26. The 16 members was formed in 1995 to management of the group is help each other in developing their coordinated by a leader who community. They are a beneficiary of schedules their operations in a government program called consultation with the members. In PAMER which taught them to 2000, IRCOD, a French NGO, noticed improve gari processing and the groups’ hard work and provided introduce them to processing fritters them credit to buy a 2nd grater and from cassava starch. They were also press set. The Ministry of Rural given machines a cassava grater on Development also donated a single credit. The grater is the conventional screw press to the group in local design. recognition of their hard work. Some women members don’t know how to process gari then and are not

11 aware of processing machines. As the maneuverability. They recommended women adopted gari processing using that the IITA-designed grater be the improved techniques, they improved in terms of increasing requested the CARDER program to capacity and providing safety feeding provide them an additional grater, for features. In terms of quality, the which they were given the women liked the fine and smooth IITA-designed grater. In addition mash from the IITA-designed grater. they also received a double screw The press and fermenting rack are press and a fermenting stand which found very handy and useful. they found very useful. The group uses the facility to process The group has a chance to compare their own cassava and also to provide the graters based on features that grating and pressing services to other enhances capacity, safety and processors in the village.

15-Cassava processing in Aligoudou using 2 types of graters, a fermenting rack, double screw press and frying stoves. The processors are building up their processing capacity and discovering the potentials of Cassava as a cash crop through processing

C. Rice Millers and Mills

17. Rice Miller in Beroubouey Village The owner/operator, Mr. Amadu Getti, observed that the four conventional rice mills in their village are being patronized by the people. With the help of his father, he decided to invest on a rice mill, but one which 16-Mr. Amadu Getti and his rice mill providing his mills rice in only one passing. He was family with good income. He plans to buy directed to COBEMAG, a member of another rice mill to cope with the growing demand for this service in the village F.M.T.A., where he procured one unit in December 2003. This translates to an average milling The rice mill is a modified IITA- capacity of 1.0 to 1.5 tons milled rice design where the Engleberg mill per day or an average income of roller was adapted. A 12-Hp diesel CFA10,000 (or approx $20 per day) engine is used as power drive instead for Mr. Amadu. of the 7 Hp petrol engine used in the IITA-designed rice mill. Mr. Amadu’s business started well and he sees continuing business The rice mill was installed with a potential as processors in the village separate housing in Mr. Amadu’s now prefer his rice mill because it is family compound. The COBEMAG faster and produces less breakage. staff trained Mr. Amadu on machine operation and maintenance. The For SAA-AP project, the experience of owner/operator, being a technician by Mr. Amadu has confirmed the training repairs and maintains the technical viability of the rice mill. machine regularly keeping it in good Based on this, COBEMAG, in working condition at all times. collaboration with the local manufacturers in Guinea fabricated Mr. Amadu started to operate the and successfully demonstrated 3 mill on February 2004 on custom-hire units of the rice mill in Guinea. This basis competing with the other 4 has remedied the problem reported conventional rice mills in the village. on the IITA-design which was On the average, he is receiving up to introduced there earlier. 30 customers per day. He operates 2-3 days in a week during the lean 18. Rice Millers in Boké Village season and everyday from February to April in 2004. The rice millers of Boké walked 2 km to the next village to wait for their

turn to mill their rice. When lucky

13 they could return to their village with their milled rice within 4 to 6 hours. Else, they have to go back the next day, or use their mortar and pestle. This was the scenario not long ago before they acquired their own rice mill. The women of Boké cultivate and process groundnut, maize, millet, sorghum and upland rice on small scale. A group of women with 28 17-The Nanaye Women Group and their rice mill in members initially formed to improve Boké Village. They believe rice milling is a potential business their groundnut farming and processing. Two volunteer young men were However, some women later realized trained to operate and serve the that their rice processing activity, group after their farm activities, so although small in scale, is giving that operation is very dependent on them more income and has good their availability. The operators also potential to develop into a business. keep a record of users and fees paid. The opinion of the women was The women see that the mill will soon divided causing the women to be fully operational and plan to hire a re-group. The Nanaye Women Group more permanent operator so they can evolved and was interested in rice mill their rice anytime. milling. Through the help of a Missionary Nun of a Catholic Church 19. Rice Millers in Mani Village from France, the Nanaye women Two kilometers from Boké, is the group acquired a rice mill in January Mani Village where the same rice mill 2004. Interestingly, the group’s name was donated by the Nun in January Nanaye means – if I know! 2004. A women group operated the The mill is a modified IITA rice mill machines for three months but they powered with 12- Hp diesel engine. stopped when the operator left. The The group built an open shed near the group is now making arrangements village market where the mill was to find a new operator. installed and could be accessible to processors. In April 2004, the women started using the rice mill. Since then 10 to 15 customers and processors come to mill on Fridays, day before the market day.

14 very fine and easily yields oil D. Sheanut Processors and reducing the kneading time and Processing Complexes increasing oil recovery. Other processors, who are non-members, 20. Sheanut Processing in Tourou also come to use the facility because Village of the good quality of ground butter. The service fees collected add to the The Borignindou Women Group was income of the group. formed with 10 members in 1992. They named their group Borignindou as an expression of their satisfaction or happiness working on the principle that group work brings better results. They acquired the Sheanut Complex, the package consisting of a Sheanut cracker and the wet-type grinder) from COBEMAG in 1999 with a loan from IRCOD, the French NGO. The group uses the machine shed and 18-The Sheanut complex consisting of Sheanut processing center facility put up by cracker and the wet-type grinder is providing a reliable income to the Borignindou women group the Ministry of Agriculture in the and other processors in Tourou Village district.

Sheanut processing by the group had The group hires an operator, since developed to a more commercial especially for the diesel engine. He scale. During peak harvest season, comes to the center according to his the women buy as much Sheanut as farming schedule. they can which they store which keep The role of COBEMAG is very crucial their business going during the lean in the success of the operation in the months when the price of the Shea processing compound. The women Butter is also higher. are not worried about machine The women are happy with the breakdown. The accessibility of quality and quantity of butter COBEMAG makes them confident produced from the machines. It is that any needed repair and

19-Sheanut processing compound in Tourou has a processing capacity of about 1 ton per day keeps the women busy and appreciating good business management

15 maintenance is easily attended by represents the group in village their technicians. They are willing to meetings and community activities. pay the costs of these services. The group is processing Sheanut for a Women expressed their satisfaction long time on a very small scale using with the machines and are happy of traditional method. The enumerator the direct benefits that come to their of the French NGO, IRCOD, visited families. The increasing income from the village and she informed IRCOD’s processing Shea Butter enable them program to help women processors to feed their families, send their improve. The group availed of the children to school and provide better loan to purchase the Sheanut medical care for the family. They also complex on the conditions that they get additional capital to buy raw will contribute towards the materials during the peak harvest construction of the machine house season. They could now process and and that they will payback in three store their products to wait for a good years. The women worked hard and market. were able to payback in 14 months. Because of their good repayment 21. Sheanut Processing in record, IRCOD recently donated a Korobororou bread-baking facility to the group. The Sodom’se Women Group owns and operates a Sheanut Complex. They initially formed as a cotton production group consisting of men and women formed in 1988 with initial membership of 32. The women later decided to form their own group because they don’t get their share from their husbands. The group called themselves, Sodom’se meaning- You have to wake up! Their guiding principle is working together to improve their lives.

The women however realize that they 20-Members of Sodom'se Women Group pose with need a man to help them in their Mr. Aoga (SAA-AP Coordinator, Benin) in front of their processing building operations and especially to advise them in their group management. Mr. Using the Sheanut complex is not a Yirima Gorubi Wurugani, a brother of problem to the women. They hired an a group member, who is always operator and the members interested in their activities was themselves are able to operate the requested to be their adviser. He also machine. They take pride to share

16 their benefits to the other processors their wives with cash to buy raw who are non-members by allowing materials to process, so they can sell them access to the machines. They better. see the business very promising with A group of processors called the increasing demand for machine Antisua Women Group with 32 services. They plan to buy a second members are the primary unit which they can put up in the beneficiaries of the machines. nearby village so that they can help Antisua rightly describes the the processors save time in carrying determination of the women in the their crops to Korobororou for village emphasizing self-help and processing. hardwork. Antisua means- if you The immediate concerns of the group want to carry a load on your head try are to improve their kneading to do it first, others will help you. operation and to find a market for A lady processor and member of the their Shea Butter. IRCOD is helping group expressed her pleasure in using to advertise their product, and those the facility. The women first saw the of the other project beneficiaries, by machine in Koroborourou Village, displaying and selling their products about 3 km away, which they in Boutique la Qualité in Parakou. informed the social-worker from CRC. The community helped to put up the 22. Sheanut Processing in Baká housing for the machines as their The Sheanut Complex in Baká was contribution. donated to the community by the Catholic Relief Church (CRC), an American-based NGO dealing with Health and Social Welfare in the communities. A management committee consisting of 7 members (5 are men), was elected by the community members. The machines were acquired in June 2004. Three technicians were trained to operate the machines and record the use and income from the machines. 21-The Sheanut complex in Baká operates more Talking to some men in the than 8 hours on a normal business day community, they informed that the facility was built primarily for the The machines now keep the women women processors. ‘In general, the busy and realize that what they used women does not know how to earn to do manually is now an income- income, they only work very hard’, generating activity. They process they added. The husbands provide Sheanut into butter two times in a

17 week and still spend more time for loan to women groups to enable them their families, especially the children. purchase their needed equipment. Their income increased which add to IRCOD developed a working relation family income and allows them to with COBEMAG as a result of a field provide for family needs. demonstration conducted by SAA-AP project. Groups applying for funds In addition to the Sheanut complex, are introduced to COBEMAG for the group plans to purchase cassava equipment selection. The group pays processing machines and also learn the first CFA100,000; IRCOD pays methods of processing dawa-dawa (a the rest which will be paid back by fermented condiment from locust the group in an agreed duration, beans). They can use the Sheanut usually 3 years. Mdme. Zacharie said complex to grind the beans to they get good loan re-payment from ferment. the groups. The key to their success 23. Boutique la Qualité in is a continuing monitoring and Parakou support. She visits the groups regularly, at least once a month, talks IRCOD, the French NGO supporting to them and gives advice on issues projects for the improvement of related to their operations. women agro- processors which started in 1993. They have a shop in ‘IRCOD will continue to monitor the Parakou where samples of products projects for as long as needed to from their project beneficiaries are encourage the women to take care of displayed on sale and offered to their businesses. The problems in potential markets. monitoring are many. For example most of the women are illiterate and The IRCOD enumerator, Mdme. needs regular follow-up. We have to Maimounath Zacharie Kora said that be very patient’, she added. IRCOD assistance is focused to 5 groups only. The program provides

22-Mdme. M. Zacharie Kora at the IRCOD boutique where samples of products from their women beneficiaries are displayed to find their markets

18 25. Maize Threshing in Atomey E. Maize Farmers and Threshers Village Atomey Village in Mono Department 24. Maize Threshing in Sori is reachable only through a very Village rough road, almost un-passable on The mobile multi-crop thresher had rainy days. In 1997, the CREP of been very popular in the village of Atomey with about 300 farmer- Sori where maize farmers used to members acquired a thresher with a shell their maize by putting them in manually-operated grain cleaner/ bags and beating with stick. sorter for use by the group and the other maize farmers in the A young entrepreneur, a technician community. by training operates a mechanical workshop fabricating simple gadgets; The thresher was very useful to the saw a demonstration by the SAA-AP farmers such that two other CREP project of the multi-crop thresher in groups in the nearby villages bought 2000. He bought one unit of the the thresher with cleaner. One thresher from COBEMAG. Because individual entrepreneur also bought of the mobility of the thresher, he one thresher which adds up to the thought he could help the farmers by threshing capacity in the village, yet providing threshing services. He they need more. started to move around the farms and villages with his thresher. The people patronized the threshing service which provided good income and popularity to the owner-operator. The maize farmers come to him to schedule their operations. He maintains his thresher and engine regularly keeping it in good condition all the time. Based on this experience, another 5 units of the thresher were bought by 23-The thresher in Atomey is being utilized at full capacity by more than 300 maize farmers. The other entrepreneurs about 250 km spring actuated grain cleaner/ sorter (forefront) North of Parakou and are being used lasted only for two seasons to provide service to farmers and processors. Our respondent, the Manager of the CREP of Atomey, Mr. Aklan Justin, informed that their group trained and

employed 2 operators who are paid from the proceeds of threshing

19 services provided. They also 26. Multi-crop Thresher in appointed a management committee Lokokoukoume to manage the facility. A multi-crop thresher was purchased The introduction of the threshers by a farmer-entrepreneur, Mr. with cleaner in the neighboring Hounou, for de-husking and shelling villages created a competition which his maize crops. Lokokoukoume reduced their threshing fee from Village is about 60 km east of CFA1,000 to CFA800 per bag of Cotonou where Mr. Hounou’s 100-ha 120-kg threshed maize. Group oil palm plantation can be found. He management of the thresher also grows cassava and maize in the presented the following constraints: farm. Conflict in scheduling of work, A palm oil processing plant is Decision-making is slow, and installed in the farmstead where dozens of workers are employed. Two Repair and maintenance is not done maize storage rooms and cribs are on time. built close-by. The general problem with the CREP program in the country hinders the The maize thresher proved to be very farmers to make better decisions on useful in their maize farm. What their farming activities. The farmers they used to thresh for 5 months found the profitability of could now be threshed in 2 months, agro-processing. They encourage though still constrained by cleaning. men and women to do more The operator, a son of the owner, is an agro-processing instead of cotton engine mechanic and trained in farming. Based on experience, CREP C.F.T.S., a member of F.M.T.A. He is plans to give loan to individuals backed by his brother who was also instead of the groups to buy trained in operating the machines. agro-processing equipment. The Farm Manager said they plan to The work of the SAA-AP program buy a second unit of the thresher. provided processing options to With the thresher, they can now farmers which enable them to process program their operations to wait for a their crops to be stored while waiting favorable market price. to be sold.

20 24-The multi-crop thresher in Mr. Hounou’s farm has helped cope with de-husking and shelling maize during peak harvest season and when the ‘price is right’

L. Halos-Kim/ Dec ‘04

21 Annex 3 –

Monitoring Visits and Interviews: (27 October to 07 November 2004)

Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Ghana

by:

LEONIDES HALOS-KIM Consultant, SAA-AP Project

Credits and appreciation to the following for assistance during monitoring visits and interviews

Mr. Patrick Quansah in Volta and Eastern Regions

Mr. Francis Divine Asare Mr. Kwame Tugbah in Ashiante Region

Ms. Dorothy Ankrah in Eastern Region

December 2005 Annex 3 –

Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Ghana

Contents

Page A. Metal Fabricators and Manufacturers ______1 1- GRATIS Foundation in Tema ______1 - Interview with Mr. Kwabena Dankyi Darfoor, Executive Director, GRATIS Foundation ______2 - Interview with RTSC Managers, GRATIS FOUNDATION _____ 2 2- ENTESEL in Tema ______3 B. Cassava Processors and Processing Sites ______4 3- Community Processing Center in Abodom Bomso Village ______4 4- Food Processing Plant in Bodua Village ______5 5- Gari Processing Equipment Package for Women‟s Ministry ______6 6- Josma Agro-processing Ltd. in Wuraso Village ______7 7- Cassava Processing in Yawso Krobo Village ______8 8- Gari Processor-Exporter in Mampong Town ______9 9- Grating Service in Mampong Town Market ______10 10- The Adade‟ Family Cassava Processing Business ______11 11- Gari Processor, Grater Service Customer ______12 12- Grater Innovator and Service Provider ______12 13- Gari Processing Plant in Kwesinyako Village ______13 C. Palm Oil Processors and Processing Sites ______14 14- Oil Palm Plantation and Palm Oil Processing in Apremso Village 14 15- Palm Oil Processing in Old Abirim Village ______14

ii List of Figures Page

1. GRATIS Foundation displays its products in national and international trade fairs to increase awareness of clients on availability of locally- made good quality agricultural machines and to encourage their adoption ______1 2. Mr. Darfoor makes sure that every machine produced by GRATIS Foundation passes quality check before releasing to customers ______2 3. Mr. Francis Divine Asare heads Mampong RTSC in Ashanti Region providing personal supervision and customer care to their clients ______3 4. Mr. Sam Quaye, Managing Proprietor of ENTESEL, makes sur that quality control is fully enforced and strives for excellence in their manufacturing process ______4 5. The agro-processing center in Abodom Bomso has demonstrated that gari processing is a profitable business. The machines helped the processors appreciate the importance of value-adding to farm produce ______5 6. The St. Michael Catholic Church Processing Plant demonstrates good management and focused on the production of good quality and hygienic food products ______6 7. The double screw press used by the women in Saviefe Village has increased the de-watering capacity by 90% ______7 8. Josma Agro-Processing Ltd. is emerging as a successful agro-enterprise using simple equipment. It is supplying gari and cassava flour to major markets in Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions ______8 9. The women group in Yawso Krobo meets the gari market by improving the traditional process with the use of simple equipment ______9 10. Gari processing activities in Mrs. Nkuduo‟s compound is prospering. The business is expanding its market to Mali and provides employment to processors in the village ______10 11. Grating service in the market and along the roadside provides a convenient option to women and processors ______10

iii 12. The Adade family with Mr. Asare (RTSC Mampong) and their casava grater providing income and services to the community ______11 13. Mrs. Aduwa thanks the grating service providers because she could not afford to buy her own machine and yet she can increase her processing capacity ______12 14. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Amoah depended on their portable grater for family subsistence for many years until newer portable graters become available ______13 15. Cassava processing shed in Kwesinyako Village showing installation of press and frying stoves ______13 16. Palm Oil Processing Plant ideally situated within the „Nana Koffi Pare Palm Oil Plantation is equipped with digesters, presses and improved fruit boilers and stoves. The plant is expanding and market is growing due to the good quality of oil it produces ______14 17. Mr. Yeboah finds treasure in using the portable palm oil digester. With it, he increased his income and helped to improve the palm oil processing enterprise which used to be small backyard business in Old Abirim Village ______15

iv Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Ghana

A. Metal Fabricators and Manufacturers

1- GRATIS Foundation in Tema GRATIS Foundation is an active GRATIS (Ghana Regional partner of the SAA-AP program. Appropriate Technology Industrial During the last 5 years, it had Service) located in Tema was participated in the project‟s established in August 1987 by the promotional activities such as field Government of Ghana with a demonstrations and trainings. mandate to promote small-scale GRATIS Foundation activities create industrialization in Ghana. It was regional linkages to promote adoption incorporated as a Company Limited of locally-made agro-processing by Guarantee, as GRATIS machines. The availability of Foundation, in December 1999. machines in the local market would GRATIS Foundation operates facilitate the processing of farm through a network of nine Regional produce and help reduce postharvest Centers and three District Rural losses, improve food security and Technology Service Centers (RTSC). create employment especially for GRATIS Foundation manufactures women and the youth. equipment for agriculture and Among others, GRATIS Foundation agro-processing, environment and has fabricated and installed 350 sets sanitation. of the Gari processing equipment package which consists of grater, double screw press, fermenting rack,

1- GRATIS Foundation displays its products in national and international trade fairs to increase awareness of clients on availability of locally-made good quality agricultural machines and to encourage their adoption

1 and sifter, and 25 sets each of the Sheanut butter and groundnut oil processing machines for the Ministry of Women and Children‟s Affairs of Ghana. GRATIS Foundation provides technology-based training to its clients to equip them with the necessary technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills for 2- Mr. Darfoor makes sure that every machine produced by GRATIS Foundation passes self-employment. quality check before releasing to customers GRATIS Foundation hosts the Ghana Mr. Darfoor represents the interest of Manufacturers‟ Network with small- to- medium scale enterprises members from its regional centers in the country and at regional forums and its clients. he has been pushing for policies that will promote the growth of . Interview with Mr. Kwabena agro-business industries in Ghana. Dankyi Darfoor, Executive Director, GRATIS Foundation Recently he recommended the establishment of „trading houses‟ in Mr. Kwabena Darfoor heads GRATIS the rural areas where the processors Foundation. He advocates the are invited to show their products and strengthening of the local get in touch with customers. He sees manufacturing industry to support that the agricultural policy of the the growth of mechanization to Government of Ghana is moving enhance agricultural development in towards industrializing agriculture. the region. Mr. Darfoor observes that the region Mr. Darfoor hopes that Ghana will be needs more development work on a center of agro-processing in the packaging of agricultural produce, region. His policies, and that of and on competitive marketing. GRATIS Foundation, emphasize technologies for farm-gate processing . Interview with RTSC Managers, to create rural enterprises and rural GRATIS FOUNDATION employment. GRATIS Foundation is strengthening its after-sales services Mr. Francis Divine Asare of which are being done by competent Mampong RTSC, Ashanti Region, is staff of the Gender and Marketing one manager who gives personal Unit in cooperation with the Design attention to his customers. He makes and Testing Unit. sure that he visits them personally and monitors the performance of the machines they are selling. “The repair and maintenance services of

2 Mampong RTSC, and that of GRATIS to customers and emphasize on Foundation, helped to develop the quality control. He recommends that confidence of our customers which the project continue to strengthen increased our number of sales of this area of collaboration. agro-processing machines in the last Ho RTSC Regional Director, Mr. 3 years”, he said. “The SAA-AP George Baddoe said that the program linked us to our customers agro-processing machines introduced and trained our technicians to be by the SAA-AP project had been competent in providing these popularly appreciated in the Volta services.” Region because they are neither Mampong RTSC is now a major bulky nor expensive. They are supplier of agro-processing machines continually finding ways to assist in the Ashanti Region. They have processors to acquire their own trained other local manufacturers machines. For example, the company who support them to supply the offers an easy payment scheme with increasing demand for improved low down payment and provides one agro- processing equipment and year free repair and maintenance. provide the associated repair and They are strengthening their maintenance services. promotion and marketing activities through participation in regional and national exhibitions and conducts occasional in-field demonstrations. Mr. Baddoe hopes that the processors will improve their operations through access to these simple but versatile technologies.

2- ENTESEL in Tema In the light industrial area of Tema is a well-equipped Machine/Welding 3- Mr. Francis Divine Asare heads Mampong RTSC in Ashanti Region providing personal Fabrication shop, the ENTESEL supervision and customer care to their clients Establishment (Engineering and Technical Services Establishment).

It is one of the „clients‟ of GRATIS Mr. Asare is thankful of the benefits Foundation and has been an active from the SAA-AP project. He said member of Ghana Manufacturers‟ that the training component has been Network. ENTESEL works with very useful especially for technicians. GRATIS Foundation and most The training helps them to Ghana-based NGOs in rural understand the importance of industrialization and poverty supplying the appropriate machines alleviation.

3 Mr. Sam Quaye, Managing Proprietor until 2004. Mr. Quaye is concerned and Chief Executive Officer of on how to sustain this initiative since ENTESEL, invested in this business it involves additional financial and in 1982 to provide mechanical human resources. He hopes that the engineering services to established Manufacturers‟ Network could be industries through plant installation, well-coordinated and strengthened commissioning, maintenance and and that collaboration with national modification. In 1986, his agencies continues to support them to establishment started the production carry out this important task. of replacement parts to service their maintenance activities as a matter of necessity. In 1993, ENTESEL, through GRATIS Foundation, sent technicians to be trained by the SAA-AP project. This boosted his business allowing him to expand his product lines and his clients. From 1996, ENTESEL is one of the major producers of agro- processing machines supporting the 4- Mr. Sam Quaye, Managing Proprietor of ENTESEL, makes sure that quality control is project. He now says more than 30 fully enforced and strives for excellence in their manufacturing process percent of the company‟s income is derived from sales of agro-processing machines introduced by the project. The project enables them to reach the B. Cassava Processors and customers improving their marketing Processing Sites activities, and understanding customers‟ real needs and resources. 3- Community Processing Center in Abodom Bomso Mr. Quaye is particular on the quality Village of machines they produce. He says “Excellence is a journey. It is not a Abodom Bomso Village in Kade destination”. Therefore they strive for District, Eastern Region was selected excellence in their manufacturing by the project to set-up a model process. A rigorous quality control is processing center because of the done on all pieces of products they opportunity to demonstrate produce. multi-crop processing. It is located in the humid savanna zone where a He also makes follow-up on machines variety of crops are grown and is sold to make sure that customers are accessible to main roads and major making use of their investments markets. properly. With the help of the SAA-AP project, this was feasible

4 The center was equipped with the sensitized on the economic gari processing equipment package importance of value-adding for the (grater, press, fermenting rack, other crops because of lack of market sifters and improved stoves), the or lack of access to it. multi-crop thresher, wet-type grinder (to process maize, beans and soybeans), and a palm oil digester. An open shed and an adjoining store room were constructed by the villagers. A women group was formed to manage the center. The center served as a showcase for improved processing and value-added products. The women adopted the gari processing package and developed 5- The agro-processing center in Abodom their gari business which used to be a Bomso has demonstrated that gari processing is a profitable business. The backyard process for family machines helped the processors appreciate the importance of value-adding to farm consumption. Marketing the produce processed cassava (gari) gave them additional income which enables them to support their children in 4- Food Processing Plant in school and other family needs. They Bodua Village now supply a big proportion of the The St. Michael Catholic Church‟ gari requirement in Kade District Processing Plant in Bodua Village, and partly in Greater Accra. Eastern Region is established in 1997 Consumers come to the village to buy through a Catholic Mission Church their gari consumers claimed to be of primarily to supply good quality food good quality. With increasing to the community. processing capacity, the women now The processing plant is equipped with require a bigger capacity machines. 2 sets each of grating machine with Other processors in the nearby bagging stand, double screw press, villages started to use the facilities. sifters, concrete washing and One processor purchased a set of the fermenting tanks and improved same equipment and provides stoves/fryers. The stoves were services in her village. constructed outside the main building The other processing equipment did for safety. The processing plant is not match well with the users‟ also provided with a store room where current needs and requirements and the finished products are kept. hence was not fully utilized. Farmers The plant employs 12 regular staff: 2 and processors are yet to be men operating the machines and 10

5 6- The St. Michael Catholic Church Processing Plant demonstrates good management and focused on the production of good quality and hygienic food products women doing other unit operations 5- Gari Processing Equipment such as peeling and frying. They Package for Women’s Ministry produce gari and tapioca on regular The Ministry of Women and basis. In the first 2 years, the Plant Children‟s Affairs of Ghana supplied gari not only to individuals contracted the GRATIS Foundation but also to the national prison and in 2002 to manufacture 200 sets of the schools in the community. Gari is gari processing machines for 13,000 sold based on weight instead of women farmers‟ groups in the country. volume. People come to the Plant to Each group was given loans by the buy their gari which they claimed to Ministry to expand their enterprises. be of good quality because it is fine, The processing package includes the has less lumps, well roasted therefore cassava grater, fermentation rack, can keep longer, and also swells double screw press and sifter, the better than other gari produced in the model developed at IITA. village. To facilitate delivery, GRATIS In addition to gari, the plant also Foundation assigned fabrication to its processes cassava dough. Recently, it regional branches. The Ministry has acquired a palm oil digester and advised the distribution of the started processing oil. package as follows: 30 sets each in The instability of the market in the Eastern and Western Regions, 35 sets last 2 years discouraged the each in Brong-Ahafo and Volta management to continue the regular Regions, 25 each in Greater Accra supply of gari to their customers, nor and Central Regions and 20 sets in expand and compete in the market. Ashanti Region. The machines were It however continues to operate to completed in early 2003 but were serve the church members and the delivered only later that year. The community. Technical Team of the GRATIS

6 Foundation provided demonstration processed to „banku‟), another and training to operators and users of important food product from cassava the machines upon delivery. in Ghana. Two recipient groups in Ho District, Volta Region were visited: the group in Saviefe Village and the group in Exi-Dzagato Village. Before these machines were delivered in Saviefe Village, the group has access to 4 other local graters powered by a lister engine. The women process their gari in their compounds after grating in the village graters. The women hope that the arrival of the facility will reduce 7- The double screw press used by the women in their time queuing in the village‟ Saviefe Village has increased the de-watering graters, gaining them time to capacity by 90% increase their processing capacity. The women group in Exi-Dzagato Although the facilities are new to the Village, as with the other women users, they already appreciated the group beneficiaries in other villages, features of the machines. Among the is also starting to appreciate the facilities, it was found that the double processing package. screw press was liked most by the users because it is small and portable. 6- Josma Agro-processing Ltd. in It has reduced their de-watering Wuraso Village process by 90% and eliminated the The Josma Agro-processing Ltd. in drudgery of stooping when using Wuraso Village, Mampong District, rocks and logs resulting in back and Ashanti Region is in full operation waist pains. processing cassava into gari, starch The grater is still scarcely used; and flour. It was established in however users noted the fine and February 2004 with a work force of 25 smooth texture of grated pulp which staff. The entrepreneur, Mrs. Janette they prefer. The sifter and the Jima Kesse, invested in the fermenting rack are still idle. The processing machines upon retiring women are yet to appreciate the from her position in a local bank. She benefits from the package before full witnessed one of the field adoption. Meantime, the community demonstrations by the SAA-AP is organizing their marketing group project after which she visited and improving the process in the Mampong RTSC. production of dough (which is further

7 She initially acquired the package of Besides gari production, the center cassava processing equipment based also processes grits, starch and flour on IITA design. Within 6 months of from cassava. The company is operation, she saw the increasing developing its market quickly. It is processing capacity and the potential currently supplying over 2 tons of of the business demanding for gari every week to the Agriculture higher-capacity machines. Through Producers Council in Accra. The RTSC Mampong, she purchased the Mother-well Farm in Kumasi, in local conventional grater with an addition to the local market, is also 8-Hp petrol engine. At the same time, their regular customers. Plans are RTSC Mampong doubled the length underway to put up more machines of the double screw press expecting to and contract specialized market increase its capacity. outlets such as hospitals and schools.

8- Josma Agro-Processing Ltd. is emerging as a successful agro-enterprise using simple equipment. It is supplying gari and cassava flour to major markets in Ashanti and Greater Accra regions

The users have a chance to compare The center is an example of a the machines. They noted the IITA successful small agro-enterprise grater produces finer mash than the management inviting many visitors local grater. However, the feeding from all around Ghana including staff system discourages the operators of MOFA‟s IFAD project (RTIP), from full adoption for fear of NGOs, Rural Youth Organizations accidental injury to fingers and hand. and farmers. NGOs from Benin Republic also visited the center to The original design of the double learn from their experience. screw press was now appreciated better because they can press faster than the expanded design. They load 7- Cassava Processing in Yawso Krobo Village in several batches and press the cassava mash to the desired moisture Ten women in Yawso Krobo Village, level for frying. The bigger press is Mampong District, Ashanti Region now used for preliminary removal of came together and called themselves moisture from grated pulp then the ‘Ekwafo Angfa Amma Yebuada’ to bags are transferred to the original avail of a bank loan to purchase double screw press for final cassava processing machines to de-watering. increase their gari processing

8 capacity. The name of the group women realize that good gari attracts which means “if you don‟t work you buyers. They don‟t need to bring will starve” reflects the desire of the their gari to the market because women to improve their lives. customers come to buy from them directly. Some farmers also contract The gari processing equipment their services to process their cassava package they acquired includes a to gari or other forms of food products grater, double screw press, such as flour or dough. With the new fermenting stand and sifter. The machines, they are now able to machines were installed in an open connect to the market. They say that shed provided by the leader of the the business is picking up which group. Five traditional frying stoves enables them to support their were also constructed in the same children‟ schooling and to buy their shed. family food. The women process their gari individually in their own backyards 8- Gari Processor-Exporter in mainly for consumption before they Mampong Town acquired their facilities. The market Mrs. Abena Nkuduo started is distant, not developed and barely processing gari since she was young known to them. assisting her parents to process for family food. When she got married, she helps her husband by processing and selling gari to provide for family needs. Initially she depended on grating services provided by some operators in town until she saw the grater and other agro-processing machines demonstrated by the SAA-AP project staff in 2003. She thought that the machines are small, 9- The women group in Yawso Krobo meets the portable and affordable enough to requirements of the gari market by improving the traditional process with the use of simple own. equipment With the help of her son, she bought the machines from RTSC Mampong Although the women had used the which she intended to use for her own equipment for 14 months already, gari production, and to provide they still require more training in grating service to the other order to understand the operational processors in the area. She also potential of the machines to optimize bought the double screw press which their benefits from the system. With she installed in a concrete elevated- their current capacity, however, the fenced platform, and set-up 4

9 10- Gari processing activities in Mrs. Nkuduo’s compound is prospering. The business is expanding its market to Mali and provides employment to processors in the village traditional frying stoves. She put-up fees. It is also providing employment her gari processing facility at the to women processors in the village. back of her house located near Mampong market. 9- Grating Service in Mampong Town Market In less than a year, Mrs. Nkuduo is producing gari more than enough to Mrs. Rose Osei, sells various sell in the local market. She provisions and operating grinding expanded her market by supplying a machines for service in a small stall school in Kumasi. She also started to „the Naomi Enterprises‟ by the send some of her gari to markets in roadside in the public market of Mali and plans to explore more the Mampong. She and her husband, Mr. potential of this market. Samuel Saffo Mensah, decided to add a grating machine in their utilities for On the other hand, providing grating rent. service to other processors had given her some management problems. Many of the customers don‟t know how to operate the machines. She ends up spending more for repair and maintenance than the fee she collects. The grater is now only used in the compound for her own gari business. Mrs. Nkuduo did not have any 11-Grating service in the market and along the problem with machine breakdowns roadside provides a conveinet option to because RTSC is always around to women and processors provide repair and maintenance The husband first saw the portable services. She says that it is a good grater (IITA-design) demonstrated by relief to know that you can depend on SAA-AP and RTSC Mampong staff. them for assistance at any time. He then purchased the grater from The business is now the family‟s RTSC Mampong and started to major income source to buy their operate it together with the other family provisions and pay the school

10 processing machines. Grating service Five years ago, the only available in the market is not very common and grater is a modified portable grater therefore quickly attracted the serving the whole village. The grater attention of many women and service became very popular, the processors. Since then, at least 20 women has to wait for a long time for regular customers come to grate their turn. Also since the fees are not cassava daily. fixed, negotiations became the language of the trade which results in The grating service was so popular exaggerated fees. With time, the that many more customers come each grater started to develop faults grating from 1 to 5 bags peeled making more difficult to schedule cassava (up to 500 kg per customer) their operations. daily. She noted that she needed another grater because of the Consulting her husband and other increasing demand for the service. women processors, using her own Gari processors are very happy with money and a soft loan from the the fine mash produced by the grater SINAPI Abbah Scheme sponsored by which is preferred for gari production. the Seventh Day Adventist Church, For processing cassava dough, the she bought her own grater and the grater facilitates the process. The double screw press in 2002. She set- grated cassava mash is passed up the facilities in her compound to through the hammer mill which saves process her own gari, and extended about 50% of the time required using grating and pressing services to other the hammer mill alone. Furthermore, processors in the village. In one year the texture of the product is superior. she re-paid her loan and recovered her investments within 2 years of Mrs. Osei claims that about 50% of operation. her daily income is contributed by the grating services.

10- The Adade’ Family Cassava Processing Business Gari processing is now a main business of the Adade family in Mampong. Before, Mrs. Lydia Adade used to go to the next village to grate a small quantity (approx 50-60 kg) of cassava then bring back to her house 12- The Adade family with Mr. Asare (RTSC for further processing to gari. Now Mampong) and their casava grater providing the processors come to her place to income and services to the community grate and work for a fee.

11 With her time saved from bringing her cassava to the next village and queuing to use the small grater, she now has more than double her processing capacity. She used to bring her gari to sell in Mampong market but now people come to her place to buy it. Her gari sells well because „it tastes fine, not pasty, well dried and light‟, she claims.

Mrs. Adade‟s yard has since been 13- Mrs. Aduwa thanks the grating service providers because she could not afford to busy particularly from 4PM daily and buy her own machine and yet she can the whole day on Saturdays when increase her processing capacity women bring their cassava not only for peeling, grating and pressing. Mrs. Aduwa likes the arrangement There are at least twelve regular because she could not afford to buy customers who come to grate and her own machine. She said that she press regularly in Mrs. Adade‟s place. will continue to patronize Their relation with the people in the service-providers because it keeps her village as well as their social status business steady and worry-free from had improved. Mrs. Adade is being operational management of the helped by her husband and children. machines.

11- Gari Processor, Grater Service Customer 12- Grater Innovator and Service Provider Mrs. Boatima Aduwa is a gari Mr. Paul Amoah is an innovator and processor and a friend to the Adade technician. He is a customer to RTSC family. She has been a part of Mrs. Mampong where he received some Adade‟s decision to invest on the technical training in 1998. grater and since been a regular customer to the grating services Before he had his training in RTSC, provided by the Adade family. he had developed and operated a portable cassava grating machine She lives in the next village but powered with a 1-Hp diesel engine prefers to grate in Mrs. Adade‟s which he got from a backpack sprayer. compound because the machine He claimed that his machine can produces very fine mash which is grate 100 kg cassava roots per hour. good for gari. She also enjoys the Since then he provided grating social atmosphere in the compound services to the processors in his while processing. village and neighboring villages. He either goes around the village with

12 his machine mounted at the back of 13- Gari Processing Plant in his bicycle, or customers come to their Kwesinyako Village house to grate. With technical advice by the SAA-AP project staff, Mr. Sackuy, a public servant, purchased the cassava processing equipment package consisting of the grating machine, fermenting stand, and double screw press to start his own gari processing business. The machines are now being installed in Kwesinyako Village, Akuafim South District, Eastern Region. Mr. Sackuy constructed a processing 14-Mr. and Mrs. Paul Amoah depended on their portable grater for family subsistence for shed with frying stoves, a workplace many years until newer portable graters become available and a store room. He hopes to provide a decent environment for processors and at the same time do a good Mr. Amoah provided this much business from the first quarter of needed help to processors for about 5 2005. The plant was well-laid out years until the machine developed a with provision for drainage of effluent major breakdown. Lack of water. operational funds did not allow him to repair his machine. As gari processing capacity increased, Mr. Amoah could hardly cope with the demand for his grating services. His customers had to find other ways to grate their cassava. Mr. Amoah‟s contribution to the gari processing business is noble and innovative. He said that providing access to machines to small-scale gari 15-Cassava processing shed in Kwesinyako processors is one way to help them Village showing installation of press and grow their businesses. At the same frying stoves time it gives him income. Mr. Amoah continues to devise simple machines to help the small-scale processors.

13 C. Palm Oil Processors and Processing Sites

14- Oil Palm Plantation and Palm Oil Processing in Apremso The oil processing plant produces 200 Village gallons of palm oil every 3 weeks. Mr. Emmanuel Obeng Pare, a retired Market is not a problem. Mr. Pare civil servant proving to be a delivers his oil to major markets in successful farmer/ entrepreneur. Aburi and Greater Accra. Mr. Pare After retiring from his office, he will expand his operations in order to bought an oil palm plantation where supply the growing demand for his in 1999 he also set-up medium-scale good palm oil. palm oil processing plant in Apremso During the lean season, he allows Village, Aburi Town, Akuapim South other processors from the nearby District, Eastern Region. villages to use the digester and The processing plant was established presses for a fee. This adds up to his in consultation with the MOFA-SAA income.

16-Palm Oil Processing Plant ideally situated within the ‘Nana Koffi Pare Palm Oil Plantation is equipped with digesters, presses and improved fruit boilers and stoves. The plant is expanding and market is growing due to the good quality of oil it produces

AP project staff. The plant is equipped with palm fruit digesters and double screw presses of the 15- Palm Oil Processing in Old IITA-design. In addition, improved Abirim Village oil- separation pits, stoves and boilers Mr. Peter Yeboah has been very were also put in place. excited relating his experience in the The plantation and processing plant use of the palm fruit digester which is known to villagers as the “Nana he bought through the SAA-AP Koffi Pare Farms” which provides project. He witnessed the regular employment to 7 workers: 5 demonstration of the machine by the women for palm oil processing, 2 men SAA-AP team in 1998. He bought one for harvesting and transport of fruits unit immediately and used it to and other plantation works. Casual provide service to palm fruit labors are employed during peak processors in his village. harvest season.

14 Old Abirim Village in Brim North residential block. Bigger investors District, Eastern Region is a small bought high powered- digesters and village where backyard palm oil presses and installed in the processing used to be the main source processing block. This affected the of income of the residents. During Mr. Yeboa‟s operation as people now processing time, everybody pounds turned to use the bigger machines. their palm oil using the mortar and In order to compete in the market, Mr. pestle making a distinctive noise all Yeboa bought the bigger digester plus over the place. Single screw presses 7 screw presses using his earnings could be found in almost all from the small digesters. At the same households. time he hired two operators and sent When Mr. Yeboah started to go the IITA-designed digesters to the around the village with his palm oil adjacent village of Akoukuwaso. The digester, the village became quieter. processors in the village patronized Many people patronized the machine, the machines well however the abandoned their mortar and pestle income was not properly accounted and even increased their palm oil for by the operator. He then parked production. The capacity of the the machines but treasured them machine was good for their household because it had given him sufficient operation. capital to continue on with his business. With his income he sends Soon, with one unit of the digester, his children to school and bought Mr. Yeboa could not cope with the additional 15 acres to his palm oil growing demand for his services; plantation. therefore he bought a second unit after one and a half years of Mr. Yeboa intends to continue using operation. the small digester to service those

17- Mr. Yeboah finds treasure in using the portable palm oil digester. With it, he increassed his income and helped to improve the palm oil processing enterpise which used to be small backyard business in Old Abirim Village

The rapidly increasing backyard oil who are far from the processing plant. processing however created a conflict He believes that there is always this in the village. The village became potential to expand his business as messy and the chief ordered that the many more processors are in the palm oil processing be done in a remote villages with poor road and central location in the outskirts of the transport system.

15 To sustain the requirements for the modified to increase the capacity commercial level processing, he while keeping its simple make. recommends that the digester be

L.Halos-Kim/Dec ‘04

16 Annex 4 - Monitoring Visits and Interviews (December 2004) Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Ethiopia

by:

LEONIDES HALOS-KIM Consultant, SAA-AP Project

Credits and appreciation to the following for assistance during monitoring visits:

Mr. Gashu Belay Coordinator, SAA-AP Project, Ethiopia

Management Staff and Technical Team Selam Technical and Vocational Center, Ethiopia

December 2005 Annex 4 - Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Ethiopia

Contents

Page Contents ______ii List of Figures ______iii A. Metal Fabricators and Manufacturers ______1 1- Selam Technical and Vocational Center (STVC) in Addis Ababa ______1 B. Adopters of Agro-processing Equipment ______2 1- Multi-crop Thresher in Shashemene ______2 2- Groundnut Processing in Babile, Harar ______3

List of Figures Page

1- Mr. Röschli briefing the SAA-AP project team from Ghana, Benin and Uganda on STVC, its programs, facilities and support to the SAA-AP project in Ethiopia ______1 2- The metal workshop in STVC complex providing technical support in fabrication, testing, and demonstration of agro-processing machines in Ethiopia ______1 3- Traditional threshing of teff and other grains results in time and crop losses ______2 4- Mobility of the thresher using a donkey cart has been a popular feature of the machine. The thresher is reaching the farmers in their farms eliminating bulk transport of crops and hence handling losses. Farmers glean over the threshed grains and bring home the clean ones. Straws are collected for feed or plowed back in the soil ______3 5- The wet-type grinder is helping to build groundnut processing a profitable cottage industry in Babile ______4 6- The Babile Groundnut Processing Cooperative is developing a marketing strategy to demonstrate and sell their products within the region. Their products are now reaching major markets in Addis Ababa ______5

iii Adoption and Utilization of Improved Agro-processing Technologies in Ethiopia

A. Metal Fabricators and Manufacturers

1- Selam Technical and Vocational Center (STVC) in Addis Ababa Selam is a Christian-oriented organization established with the objective of raising orphaned children by providing shelter, food and education and equipping them with vocational skills to make them 1- Mr. Röschli briefing the SAA-AP project team from Ghana, Benin and Uganda on STVC, its self-supporting citizens (Selam programs, facilities and support to the SAA-AP Brochure, 2004). Thus the Selam project in Ethiopia. Children’s Village was founded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1985. Selam Technical and Vocational Center (STVC) is an extension of the Children’s Village. Since its establishment, it has grown to a well-equipped and organized training center. It trains orphans from Selam Children’s Village, other orphanages, as well as private applicants.

General mechanics, Auto Mechanics, 2- The metal workshop in STVC complex providing technical support in training, fabrication, testing, Drafting, Electricity, Woodwork and and demonstration of agro-processing machines Machining are the streams that in Ethiopia. trainees join according to their interest. ‘What makes STVC the only STVC is also home to the SAA-AP one of its kind in the country is that project in Ethiopia. STVC has the trainees are directly involved in provided a metal workshop and an production throughout their training’, office, and granted a special privilege says STVC Managing Director. Mr. to access and use of its other facilities David Röschli (known to many as and services to the project team. ‘Papi’). Working with an established

institution to help improve the welfare of the small-scale farmers

1 and processors facilitated the harvest. Crops are left in piled in the extension work in Ethiopia. fields up to one month which could result in deterioration and crop Since December 2001 to February losses. 2004, STVC technicians were trained through the project on the fabrication, Grain collection is inefficient. A operation and maintenance of the significant amount of grains are left multi-crop thresher, rice mill/polisher, on the ground and contaminated with groundnut sheller, wet-type grinder, soil and sometimes with animal cassava grater and chipper. Trained manure. technicians form the technical team In addition to teff, Ethiopia produces providing technical backstopping to other grain crops such as maize, the project in Ethiopia. They have an millet and sorghum which are also important role in adapting and threshed with this method. Handling modifying the agro-processing and transport of crop also present a machines for introduction to the big problem in grain harvesting. Ethiopian farmers as required by their environment.

B. Adopters of Agro-processing Equipment

2- Multi-crop Thresher in Shashemene The multi-crop thresher without cleaner and powered by a 7 Hp petrol engine was introduced in Ethiopia to 3- Traditional threshing by animals, of teff and other help solve the drudgery of threshing grains, results in time and crop losses. teff, the staple food crop of Ethiopia. Between 2002 and 2004, seven Few units of combine harvester are threshers had been purchased and operating in the area but are used being used in Shashemene to provide only for wheat, are not easily threshing service in the villages. accessible and waste straw and fodders. The practice of Traditional threshing is still crop-livestock farming system prevalent and is done by a gang of 6 necessitates that straws and fodders to 8 oxen or donkeys driven around be made available for livestock the pile of crop by 2 to 3 men. It takes feeding. 8 hours to thresh 2 bags of approximately 120 kgs of grains The introduction of the multi-crop using this method. Farmers harvest thresher with a field capacity of 500 their crops at the same time making to 600 kg per hour had significantly difficult to thresh immediately after reduced the time and other difficulty

2 using the traditional method. In his house in town and moved into the order that the thresher could be village, bought the thresher with the moved around conveniently to reach cleaner and started to provide the farms, the SAA-AP project in threshing services in the villages with collaboration with STVC developed his 2 hired operators. He sees that and introduced the donkey cart for the thresher will help the farmers a the thresher. lot and at the same time give him a good income. Mr. Ayele is the first farmer who invested on the thresher after he saw The number of farmer-entrepreneur a field demonstration by the SAA-AP is steadily increasing which is not a project staff. He now owns 3 units of bother to existing operators. There is the threshers in Shashemene which more than enough crop to be threshed. he operates with 5 hired workers. The system is working well and Providing threshing service has immediately adopted by the farmers become his family’s main source of for teff threshing. The thresher does income. Mr. Ayele is popularly called not only save time and crop losses but ‘Mr. Thresher’ in the area which he also produces straws and fodders in takes pride with a big responsibility, slightly crushed and of shorter i.e. service to his people. lengths which are found appropriate

4- Mobility of the thresher using a donkey cart has been a popular feature of the machine. The thresher is reaching the farmers in their farms eliminating bulk transport of crops and hence handling losses. Farmers glean over the threshed grains and bring home the clean ones. Straws are collected for feed or plowed back in the soil.

for animal feeding in terms of Encouraged by his success, his handling and digestibility, or even as brother also bought the thresher. He soil conditioner/ fertilizer when now owns 2 units of threshers and plowed back to the field. employed 5 operators. The farmers are now evaluating the A third owner, Mr. Takele, also thresher for maize, wheat, barley, learned of this booming thresher sorghum and millet. Feedback is enterprise in Shashemene. He sold

3 encouraging and recommendations however was not acceptable to for improvement are now being processors and consumers who used addressed by the SAA-AP project the shelled nuts for other purposes or team while continuing demonstration for processing later. According to the and technology awareness campaign users, the bruises in the nuts result is being done in other parts of in discoloration both in nuts and in oil Ethiopia. which make it unattractive in the market and could not keep long in 3- Groundnut Processing in Babile storage. Babile in Eastern Harar is among the The wet-type grinder had contributed major producers of groundnuts in to improved efficiency and is adopted Ethiopia. Groundnut is considered as by the processors. The butter a cash crop. It is sold raw, eaten obtained was smooth and renders for boiled or roasted, or processed into easy oil extraction using a simple butter and oil. Butter and oil are press. It also allows diversification of commercial products which could be products. developed to a cottage industry. Groundnut butter and oil production requires special grinder to make smooth flowing paste for efficient oil extraction. The traditional method involves shelling, winnowing, roasting, de-skinning, and grinding the nuts. The processes are all manually done including grinding with a mortar and pestle. Kneading 5- The wet-type grinder is helping to build the butter is yet another step to groundnut processing a profitable cottage finally obtain the oil. With the industry in Babile. traditional method, groundnut oil The JICA project supported the production is a cumbersome process Babile Groundnut Processing and is still done at the household Cooperative to set-up a processing level. center and is helping to develop their To help improve the system, the market for peanut butter. The manually-operated groundnut sheller processing center is equipped with and the wet-type grinder were tested the wet-type grinder, and the and introduced to groundnut farmers/ packaging materials for butter. A processors in the Harar Region. small store in front of the processing The groundnut sheller was proven to room is maintained by the increase shelling capacity and time cooperative which showcase and sell efficiency. The resulting broken nuts their products.

4 The cooperative had recorded good sales of products and is encouraging other groundnut processors and cooperatives to adopt the improved system. The SAA-AP project continues to look into ways of further improving the system.

6- The Babile Groundnut Processing Cooperative is developing a marketing strategy to demonstrate and sell their products within the region. Their products are now reaching major markets in Addis Ababa.

L.Halos-Kim/Dec ‘04