Machinery

: 10 May 2018; Hits: 6790

Experts developing smart technology in poultry and dairy facing financial challenge

SmartfarminginternetofthingsAlfredAhutaOngataRongaiLaban eggs Afred Ahuta, Domotele Technology Internet of Things consultant. He is one of the experts involved in smart technology development for poultry and dairy management. Photo: Laban Robert.

Two experts who started developing a smart technology in 2016 which could help farmers detect diseases and know the output of individual chickens as well as detect heat and diseases in dairy cows have decided to rest the process due to lack of financial support.

Alfred Ahuta and Maurice Mutange who are Domotele Technology Internet of Things consultants had come up with a customised machine to machine (M2M) system to alert farmers of any health risk as well as the performance of each chicken before developing another system which could detect heat and any risks of disease attacks in cows but they got stuck towards the end that year upon facing financial setbacks.

“Our aim was to develop a system which is effective and affordable to our farmers but we realised along the way that more finance was needed to bring the project into completion besides developing enough devices that will cater for the growing number of farmers in poultry and dairy agribusiness,” said Ahuta.

The duo used to import sensors at Sh200 ($2) which are used as detectors in poultry cages and cow sheds but upon arrival of the goods they were required to part with about Sh15,000 for clearance by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) something which discouraged them.

“We are really discouraged to buy something at a cheaper price only to pay more just to be cleared to have it. Our efforts to approach KRA officials did not yield fruits as the authority officials told us their hands were tied by the law and there was no way they could help,” said Ahuta.

The sensors were installed and used to collect the health or production data before relaying it to a safe domain in the cloud for the farmer to access it via the Internet or short message service (SMS) for those who do not have Internet.

“Our system was cheaper and simpler to use by farmers once it was installed but we were hosting our servers outside the country for cloud services and this was expensive as it needed more money to establish,” said Mutange.

M2M system which could provide real time information via mobile telephone had been implemented on chickens, but it can also work with other egg-laying poultry such as geese, turkeys, ducks, among others, said Mutange.

“We had also set sensors near a dairy cow for a test and it work and appreciated by many farmers and dairy stakeholders who learnt of it.”

According to Ahuta, they have lost hope as the y are planning to continue with it from August this year once they are through with the other projects they are handling at the moment.

“We could not stay together for long as every one of us hand other responsibilities to handle besides sourcing funds for their various projects but once we agree on date and time we will kick it off again.”

Ahuta is currently working on his hydroponic project in Rongai while Mutange is in horticultural business trying to make ends meet.

Ahuta can be reached on +254723213125 while +254723213125 while Mutange on +254 713701599.

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: 09 May 2018; Hits: 10319

New technology cuts banana ripening time by about 10 days

banana vincent oyaroegesa youth group Vincent Oyaro holding avacado and a bunch of bananas nest to a ripening chamber. The chamber reduces banana ripening time from about 14 to four days. Photo: Laban Robert.

Rigesa Youth Group in Nyamira County is using a banana ripening chamber technology which takes 3-4 days to ripen bananas unlike the traditional ripening using banana and other ethylene emitting leaves that takes between 10 and 14 days, a practice which is earning the group over Sh1,000 per bunch.

According to the group chairman Vincent Oyaro, a mature well grown tissue culture banana of about 80 kilogrammes can have 2,000 banana fingers. If sold green for cooking or ripening, it fetches between Sh1,100 and Sh1,300. But ripening it in the chamber for the three days, its value shoots to above Sh3,000.

“Our group has 15 members and each member is only required to pay Sh20 for buying avocadoes which are used in the chamber. They then wait for few days before collecting them for the market as they shall have ripen,” said Oyaro.

RELATED ARTICLE: Nyamira group excels in banana marketing

The 8,000 banana fingers capacity chamber which is made of metals and polythene papers has three compartments in which 10-100 avocadoes are placed in the lowest chamber depending on the number of banana fingers to be ripen.

The avocadoes produce an ethylene gas, a compound of carbon and hydrogen that causes fruits to turn yellow.

“Avocados and passion fruits are ‘catalysts’ in this process because they release a lot of ethylene. Passion fruits start ripening while still in the farm. Bringing them to the chamber means ready release of good quantity of the gas,” said Oyaro.

The group sells bananas to traders from Kisumu, Kisii, Kebirigo, Kericho among other markets in the Nyanza and Rift Valley regions who flock Kisii Town to buy bananas as the region is well known in the fruit production. They ripen the bananas upon orders from the traders.

The upper bigger fingers fetch Sh20 when sold in threes while the smaller middle ones earn Sh5 each; the smallest fingers are sold at three for Sh10.

The group which was started in 2006 and been receiving financial support from Word Vision, an international non-governmental organization, has since moved to banana value addition by baking cakes, bread and chops crisps among other products.

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: 07 May 2018; Hits: 7341

Researchers develop a simple transporter machine which can be used to carry farm produce

JKUAT tricycle transporter machine JKUAT tricycle which has a capacity of carrying 750 kilograms at a time. Photo courtecy.

University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) researchers have developed a simple three wheeler machine called tricycle with a capacity of carrying up to 750 kilograms of farm produce from one point to another and has 200 cc engine capacity as compared to the first tricycle which had 500 cc engine.

The tricycle which is partly a motorcycle resemblance but the front part has motor vehicle characteristics had its development idea conceived in 2005 with many transporter machines developed along which included bicycles.

However, in 2015 the researchers came up with the first tricycle with 500 cc engine but this was not as effective as they wanted. Sometime later the researchers came up with 150 cc engine tricycle before assembling the latest 200 cc tricycle.

According to the university Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mabel Imbuga the developments are geared towards making it easier for farmers and farm managers to work effectively without incurring losses especially those that come with post-harvests.

“JKUAT has developed a number of cost effective and locally adaptable innovations on value addition and post-harvest handling and management that could benefit farmers in Kenya and beyond, said Imbuga.

The models which have already attracted many farmers especially small scale farmers can be used both in rural and urban areas to transport various farm produce such as milk, crops to the market and agricultural inputs to the farm.

This comes at a time when most farmers especially tomato farmers from various parts of the country are recording post-harvest losses after the heavy rains experienced in the country causing transport challenges.

Furthermore the tricycle has a pump attachment, hence the engine can be used for irrigation.

The tricycle has its drive motion initiated from the motorcycle engine through a simple gearbox coupled to the final drive differential unit that is similar to those of vehicles with front drive connected by propeller shaft. It whole body is mounted on a wide framework called chassis.

Other innovations by JKUAT include solar drier for fruits and vegetables, fruit pulper for extracting different fruit juices and plant mill among others. The university also last year developed Yuvra 215 tractor which requires about three litres of diesel to till one acre.

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