Development and performance evaluation of a multi-purpose grain thresher for maize, sorghum, millet, and beans
Keywords:
Multi-purpose grain thresher; post-harvest losses; threshing efficiency; agricultural mechanization; interchangeable sieve.Abstract
Post-harvest grain losses caused by inefficient threshing technologies remain a critical constraint to agricultural productivity in developing economies. This study reports the development and performance evaluation of the Yalwa Multi-Purpose Grain Thresher, designed to process maize, sorghum, millet, and beans using a single adaptable system. The machine incorporates an interchangeable sieve mechanism that enables effective separation of grains with varying physical characteristics. Fabrication was carried out at the Department of Agricultural Engineering Technology Workshop, Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, under the leadership of Engineer Issa Yelwa, with technical support staff. Performance evaluation revealed a maximum threshing efficiency of 92%, indicating effective grain detachment and separation with minimal losses. The machine produced grains of satisfactory quality with low visible damage, demonstrating its suitability for small- and medium-scale farming applications. The developed thresher offers a cost-effective, versatile, and locally appropriate solution for reducing post-
harvest losses and improving grain processing efficiency. The findings highlight the potential of the machine to contribute to sustainable agricultural mechanization in resource-constrained environments.
References
1. Ajav, E. A., & Adejumo, A. O. (2015). Performance evaluation of a motorized grain thresher. Journal of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, 23(2), 45–53.
2. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2019). The state of food and agriculture 2019: Moving forward on food loss and waste reduction. FAO.
3. Khurmi, R. S., & Gupta, J. K. (2018). A textbook of machine design (14th ed.). Eurasia Publishing House.
4. Kumar, S., Singh, R., & Mishra, D. (2018). Development and evaluation of a multi-crop thresher. International Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 11(1), 89–96. https://doi.org/10.15740/HAS/IJAE/11.1/89-96
5. Ndirika, V. I. O., & Oyeleke, O. O. (2020). Design considerations in grain threshing machines. Journal of Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America, 51(3), 23–30.
6. Ogunlade, C. A., Aremu, A. K., & Babajide, A. O. (2016). Evaluation of grain losses and efficiency of mechanical threshers. Nigerian Journal of Technological Development, 13(2), 55–61.
7. Singh, G., Sharma, T. R., & Bansal, N. K. (2017). Agricultural machinery design and data handbook. McGraw-Hill Education.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Articles published in the Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Studies (JAMS) are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), unless otherwise stated. Authors retain copyright of their work and grant JAMS the right of first publication.
