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 The Design and Field Testing of a Low Priced Cassava Harvester for Trinidad soils

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  2015 ASABE Annual International Meeting  152190903.(doi:10.13031/aim.20152190903)
Authors:   Samella R Seepaul, Robert Birch, Edwin Ekwue
Keywords:   Cassava, Harvester,

Abstract.

Cassava has been identified as one of the four major staples in the Trinidad and Tobago Government’s 2012-2015 National Food Production Plan and it is expected that cassava production will increase to 18000 tonnes annually by the year 2015. Presently, most cassava is harvested manually. This is very labour intensive and results in rapid deterioration of this highly perishable crop, thus render low production outputs. Mechanisation is one method of improving the production capacity, hence, allowing the government agencies to meet their mandate. There has been some introduction of sophisticated foreign designed cassava harvesters to farmers. However, these are rather costly and are not very suited for Trinidad soils. Hence, a cassava harvester was designed and fabricated that would be low priced and effective in loosening the soil, such that the roots of the cassava are exposed and easily reaped. Field tests were performed to determine the implement’s effectiveness in loosening the soil. Results showed that the harvester has an average field efficiency of 66% and the worked soil had an average coefficient of curvature (Cc) of 1.8 and an average coefficient of uniformity of 7.8.

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