Design, Construction and Evaluation of a Dual Operation Seed and Fertilizer Broadcaster for Farmers

E F Mele ,K.h Bulama ,D K Diraso ,Mohammed Dauda ,B M Ndomi ,John A.c

doi:10.7176/iel/11-3-02

Abstract

This paper presents a report on the design, construction and evaluation of a dual operation seed and fertilizer broadcasting device, an appropriate agricultural technology especially, for small scale peasant farmers in both rural and urban areas. It is an appropriate technology because its features eliminate the short coming on both traditional and existing physical devices being used for seed and fertilizer broadcasting. Relevant literature was reviewed. Engineering design was adopted in this study. Preliminary investigation was carried out to reliably and objectively establish the need for the new product. In carrying out the preliminary investigation, thirty (30) open ended and semi structured questionnaire were used to sample thirty end users’ opinions on existing seed and fertilizer broadcasting devices. Percentage was used for analysis of data. The area of study for the preliminary investigation and the final study was Adamawa and Gombe States of Nigeria. The preliminary investigation revealed that farmers are dissatisfied with the high cost of the tractor mounted fertilizer broadcaster and they also expressed dissatisfaction with the traditional method since it is slow, energy consuming and has high health hazards. For this, respondents expressed a need for a device that is potable, has low energy requirement and is relatively cheap. After establishing the need for the new device, design specification, design criteria, production and assembly drawings were made. Materials selection was based on the design calculation made. The evaluation result revealed that the new product carried out the function for which it was designed. It was therefore recommended to entrepreneurs for mass production and for use by peasant farmers. Keywords: Design, Construction, Evaluation, Fertilizer, Broadcasting. DOI: 10.7176/IEL/11-3-02 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

Highlights

Every identified practical human need requires the services of physical tools that could be hand operated or externally powered
This paper presents a report on the design, construction and evaluation of a dual operation seed and fertilizer broadcasting device, an appropriate agricultural technology especially, for small scale peasant farmers in both rural and urban areas
In the light of the above scenario and since majority of farmers in Nigeria and some other countries of the world are small scale peasant farmers, it is expedient for an appropriate and potable seed and fertilizer broadcasting device to be produced, whose features will eliminate all the short comings observed on the existing methods of seed and fertilizer broadcasting

Summary

Introduction

Every identified practical human need requires the services of physical tools that could be hand operated or externally powered. It is common knowledge that before a functional and efficient tool is produced; it must first pass through processes of design, construction and evaluation. In this regard, Garratt (1998) and Mele (2006) defined design as formation of plans for the satisfaction of human practical need (s). Evaluation of a product is defined by Jaries (1982), Joseph and Charles (1989), Garratt (1995) and Ogunlegel (2009) as the operational testing of a new product, against some parameters, to determine whether the product would carry the function (s) for which it was designed

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion