Design and fabrication of a bicycle-powered maize sheller for rural Ghanaian farmers

In Ghana, maize is one of the highest yielding cash crops, but the supply chain is severely hampered by the lack of access to machines for processing. From user research, any such machines available in Ghana have been imported at a price tag around five times above the purchasing power of the average smallholder farmer, resulting in a major post-harvest opportunity loss. This study explores the development of a low-cost, pedal-powered maize sheller with high throughput and low kernel damage. Different iterations of shelling mechanisms were prototyped and tested. The preeminent design was measured to have shelling efficiencies of 95-99% and percent kernel damage of 3.3-6.2%. Preliminary feedback on the prototype was collected from rural farmers and is being used to inform the next design iteration.