THE TEK MECHANICAL CASSAVA HARVESTER DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA – CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND PROSPECTS FOR CASSAVA PRODUCTION IN AFRICA

Abstract

The low level of engineering technology inputs into agriculture is a major constraint hindering themodernization of agriculture and food production in many parts of Africa. Cassava (Manihot esculentaCrantz), is a climate resilient crop grown by smallholder farmers in most sub-Saharan Africa countries.Cassava provides dietary carbohydrates for over 800 million people globally. It is also a bio-fuel sourcethat can replace fossil fuels. Africa is not visible in the cassava industrialisation and export marketbecause it depends on over-aged farmers, who use manual tools and traditional production methods thatdo not attract the youth. One major challenge to all year-round cassava production for industry andexport in Africa is the time consuming, labour intensive and expensive manual harvesting method.Manual cassava harvesting is full of drudgery and takes 5 to 10 minutes to uproot a plant, depending onsoil condition. The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate and popularise an innovativemechanical cassava harvester developed in Ghana (OAPI patent No. 17219), to mechanise andmodernise cassava production in Africa. The device harvests at a rate of one plant per second or lessespecially when the ground is hard. For the innovation to be disseminated successfully, tractor operatorsand smallholder farmers must be trained to acquire mechanised production methods. Cassava farmersneed to change from planting in the traditional haphazard manner to adopt row and ridge planting tocomply with mechanical harvesting at plant maturity. The device is to up-scale and increase cassavaproduction for food security, industrial use and export in Africa.