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Farmers Perspective in Using Open Drum Thresher a Case Study

M. M. Alam
Professor
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, BAU, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

S. M. M. Rahman
Principal Agricultural Engineer
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Technology Division, BRRI, Gazipur-1701.

AKM Saiful Islam
Senion Agricultural Engineer
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Technology Division, BRRI, Gazipur-1701.

M. I. N Khan
Former MS student
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, BAU, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

A. Al-Amin
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, BAU, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Problems and Prospects of open drum thresher as perceived by the farmers were studied - thoroughly in Bogra district of Bangladesh. Forty one owners of open drum thresher from a of 102 of the villages Zamhata, Shantiara, Jamail and Kachauapara under Bogra district were interviewed on the basis of an interview schedule- All categories of farmers irrespective of their personal characteristics (age, education, general knowledge in agriculture and agricultural machinery, extension contact, farm size and annual income)-found the open drum thresher very useful and effective in threshing paddy as compared to traditional threshing. But some problems related to open drum thresher were identified by the farmers who expressed desire for removal of those problems for efficient use of the thresher. The problems covered technical and socio-economic the thresher. Among technical aspects, inability to separate straw from the threshed grain (Problem Index 123), vibration due to lighter weight of the thresher (122), and miss-alignment of drum shaft (116), ranked at the top. Similarly, inability of purchasing engine for open drum thresher by the marginal and poor farmers (123), high price of fuel and oil (118) and lack of quality spare the locality.(101) were the major socio-economic causes limiting the use of open drum thresher. Other problems such as safety, technical skill etc through seemed to be important by the researchers, but the farmers placed less weight in ranking of the problems.

Keywords: Open drum thresher, Threshing paddy, Traditional Threshier.

Location: Zamhata, Shantiara, Jamail and Kachauapara villages under Bogra district, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Thresher

Objectives:

To identify the Problems and Prospects of open drum thresher as perceived by the farmers

Methodology:

The prospect of open drum thresher as perceived by the farmers was measured by 6 selected statements. A 4-point modified Likert scale was used to measure the degree of agreement with each of these selected statements- Score of a respondent in 6 selected statements could range from 0 to 18. The scores for 4 kinds of responses namely, do not agree, no reply, moderately agree and agree with weights assigned for each of the responses were 0,1,2 and 3 respectively. Based on the scores the prospects of open drum as perceived by the farmers, Prospect Index (IPros.) was developed by using the following formula: Prospect Index (IPros) = P_da,x0 + P_nrxl + P_ma x2 + P_ax3 Where, P_da, = Percentage of farmers do not agree; P_nr = Percentage of farmers do not reply; P_ma= Percentage of farmers moderately agree; P_a= Percentage of farmers agree IPros for any selected statement could range from 0 to 123; where 0 indicating no and 123 high prospect of the open drum threshers, respectively. Similarly, the problems of open drum thresher as perceived by the farmers were measured by 15 selected statements with a 4-point modified Likert scale and the problem Index (IProb.) was developed by using the following formula: Problem Index (IProb) = P_dax0 + P_nrxl + P_max2 + P_ax3 Where, Pd = Percentage of farmers do not agree; P_nr = Percentage of farmers do not reply; P_ma= Percentage of farmers moderately agree; P_a= Percentage of farmers agree IProb for any selected statement could range from O to 123; where 0 indicating no und 123 high prospect of the open drum threshers, respectively.

Source of Information: Journal of Agricultural Engineering, The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, Vol. 36/AE, June 2009

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Irrespective of farmers' category the operation of open drum thresher was found useful and effective regarding cost, labour requirement and threshing performance. Women also found the machine easy to operate without physical stress. The technical problems associated with the open drum thresher such as reduction of vibration, safety measures for power transmission and bare threshing drum, use of quality spare parts etc. need to be incorporated in the design and operational stages of the thresher. The able farmers of the study area had access to open drum thresher but small and marginal farmers were most often deprived of using it due to high price of engine. Therefore, ways must be found out as how the small and marginal farmers can have benefit from the thresher.

Knowledge Management: Journal