Hand Operated Maize Dehusker-Sheller for Farm Women

Traditionally, dehusking of maize cobs are done manually with hand and shelling is done either by beating the dehusked cobs with sticks or with fingers or sickle, etc. This activity is mostly done by farm women. Power operated big size machine are available and are being used by some of the farmers in different parts of the country. This equipment is suitable for economically strong group of farmers (medium and large farmers) while in the country, about 80.3 per cent farmers of marginal and small size groups operate 36 per cent area. In addition to this and to overcome the problem of erratic supply of electric power, a hand operated maize dehusker-sheller of 100 kg un-dehusked cob/h capacity was designed, developed and fabricated for operation by farm women with hypothesis that the equipment suitable for women would easily be operated by men workers.