Manual or motorized postharvest operations of pearl millet in Maradi, Niger: effects on time and energy use, profitability, and farmers' perceptions

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dc.creatorNourou, A.I.M.
dc.creatorGarba, M.
dc.creatorGrimsby, L.K.
dc.creatorAune, J.B.
dc.date2025
dc.date2025-12-11T22:12:43Z
dc.date2025-12-11T22:12:43Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T16:00:29Z
dc.descriptionThe pearl millet value chain in Niger, from sowing to the production of millet flour, is mainly done using manual labor. The objective of this study was to compare manual and motorized postharvest operations in pearl millet based on several criteria: output per hour, labor and energy demand, product quality, drudgery (measured by heart rate), profitability, farmers' perceptions of quality and cost of operations, and adoption rates. The study also assessed the conditions under which motorized operations could be adopted. The research methods included a survey of 200 households, interviews with entrepreneurs, and field measurements of both manual and motorized postharvest operations using the above criteria. An economic assessment was undertaken based on investment costs, time use, and the cost and income of each operation. The results showed that 72.5% of the households surveyed used motorized milling, whereas only 4% used motorized threshing. The time‐saving effect of motorization was the highest for milling (211 h/Mg), whereas it was lowest for threshing (21 h/Mg). Motorized processing of 1 Mg of millet grain adequate for a household's yearly needs saves 49 man‐days/year compared to manual methods. Quality measurements showed that only 38% of millet flour met quality standards after manual milling compared to 87% for motorized milling. By considering factors like fuel use and losses in the manual and motorized operations, it was found that motorized operations used 429 kWh/Mg less than the manual operation. Threshing is the most challenging postharvest operation to motorize, with investment costs four times higher than milling and dehulling, and lower profitability than other operations. Moreover, threshing and straw chopping are only done in the months following harvesting, whereas milling and dehulling services are in demand throughout the year. The study found that motorization of postharvest operations is an interesting option for farmers based on the criteria of time saving, quality of products, energy efficiency, reduction in women's workload, and profitability.
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/178771
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/119862
dc.languageen
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceNourou, A.I.M., Garba, M., Grimsby, L.K. & Aune, J.B. (2025). Manual or motorized postharvest operations of pearl millet in Maradi, Niger: effects on time and energy use, profitability, and farmers' perceptions. Food and Energy Security, 14(1): e70054, 1-13.
dc.subjectcereals
dc.subjectdehulling
dc.subjectinvestment
dc.subjectmilling
dc.subjectthreshing
dc.subjectworkload
dc.subjectmillets
dc.titleManual or motorized postharvest operations of pearl millet in Maradi, Niger: effects on time and energy use, profitability, and farmers' perceptions
dc.typeJournal Article

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Instituto Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (IITA)