This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
Machines to Help Boost Your Harvest ¶
Siaya County farmers have found innovative ways to make farming easier and more efficient. At a recent farmers' field day, exhibitors showcased various machines that cater to the needs of small-scale farmers.
One of the machines on display was a manual wooden baler, which is ideal for small dairy farmers who make their own hay bales from dry fodder grasses. The baler has a 30cm length, 40cm width, and 71cm height, and can compress 8 to 10kg of hay at a time. In an hour, one can make 20 bales.
According to Daniel Odiwuor of Siaya ATDC, the baler is a simple machine that can be used to make hay bales from various dry fodder grasses. 'Dry grass is put into the machine through an opening at the top. The plunger is then used to compress the hay as more is added,' he explained.
The baler is priced at Sh8,000 and is a must-have for small-scale dairy farmers who chop animal feeds into small pieces. The chopper is used to shred forage such as rice straw, wheat straw, maize stover, and maize for ensiling.
The chopper consists of a feeder, chopper, and thrower, with a transmission, a clutch, and a frame. It needs little fuel to crush fodder, with a litre of petrol lasting about an hour. The machine is priced at Sh40,000.
Another machine on display was the lime distributor, which is essential in lowering acidity of soils and providing calcium and magnesium for plants. According to Elizaphat Otieno of Rural Energy and Food Security Organisation, one can make the distributor from used jerrycan, gears, and trolley, making work easier for farmers.
The lime distributor is priced at Sh5,000 and is a simple metallic cylinder with 2m height and two openings, one at the top and an outlet at the bottom. Only dried and treated grain is stored in the silo.
The metallic silo bin is another machine on display, which can store up to five 90kg bags for up to 10 years. It is priced at Sh8,000 and is a must-have for farmers who want to store their grain for a long time.
Lastly, the sorghum/maize sheller was also on display, which is a portable machine used to separate grains from the cobs. The motorised machine shells 15 bags of maize in an hour and can separate 10 bags of sorghum in the same period. It is priced at Sh65,000.
Another innovative machine on display was the jab planter, which does three roles at once – it digs holes, applies fertiliser, and plants with precision. The machine is made from wood and metal and is priced at Sh5,000.
