| Abstract |
In Sarawak, padi cultivation is a smallholder sustenance
farming activity.
Many farmers still manually winnow padi i.e. separating the
chaff and empty
fruit from full padi grains as available machine is too
expensive to be owned
individually and usually community owned. The conventional
manual
process of winnowing is by using a frame, made of bent
rattan which acts as
the holder or handle known as tapan while winnowing. The
Mobile Paddy
Winnowing Unit is an inexpensive winnowing machine that
consists of inbuilt
fan and separator system that can be operated very
effectively. For mobility,
it has a fixed wheel system. Thus it reduces significantly both
time and
labour to carry out this very important task of farming activity.
The quantity
and quality of whole grain are drastically improved as
compared to the
manual operation or the current machine obtained from the
market. Thus
this machine will benefit the rural farming sector. |