Article: Technical and socio-economic assessment of manual and motorised threshing of pearl millet in Maradi Region, Niger Journal: International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation (IJPTI) 2026 Vol.10 No.2/3 pp.190 - 200 Abstract: Post-harvest operations of pearl millet in Niger are mainly done manually by women. This study compared motorised threshing to manual threshing of pearl millet in Niger. The method included a survey and a study on the technical and economic performance of four threshers. Motorised threshing was preferred by 91.9% of farmers. The main reason for preferring motorised threshing was the speediness of the work, while the reason for choosing manual threshing was the non-availability of motorised threshers. Motorised threshing gave an average output of 267.2 kg of threshed product per hour, while the corresponding output for manual threshing was 43.9 kg per hour. Motorised threshers had a higher threshing percentage and improved the quality of the final product due to reduced amounts of impurities and a reduction in the percentage of broken grains. Motorised threshing, therefore, reduces post-harvest losses compared to manual threshing. The thresher BKN 4.85 HP was far more profitable than the other thresher due to its high hourly capacity and low price. It was concluded that it is possible to scale up the use of motorised threshers in Niger. This will have benefits in terms of less labour demand, reducing post-harvest losses, and improved grain quality. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Technical and socio-economic assessment of manual and motorised threshing of pearl millet in Maradi Region, Niger

Authors: Abdourahamane Issa M. Nourou; Maman Garba; Jens B. Aune

Addresses: Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Faculty of Landscape and Society, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 1430 Aas, Norway ' International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Niamey, Niger ' Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Faculty of Landscape and Society, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 1430 Aas, Norway

Abstract: Post-harvest operations of pearl millet in Niger are mainly done manually by women. This study compared motorised threshing to manual threshing of pearl millet in Niger. The method included a survey and a study on the technical and economic performance of four threshers. Motorised threshing was preferred by 91.9% of farmers. The main reason for preferring motorised threshing was the speediness of the work, while the reason for choosing manual threshing was the non-availability of motorised threshers. Motorised threshing gave an average output of 267.2 kg of threshed product per hour, while the corresponding output for manual threshing was 43.9 kg per hour. Motorised threshers had a higher threshing percentage and improved the quality of the final product due to reduced amounts of impurities and a reduction in the percentage of broken grains. Motorised threshing, therefore, reduces post-harvest losses compared to manual threshing. The thresher BKN 4.85 HP was far more profitable than the other thresher due to its high hourly capacity and low price. It was concluded that it is possible to scale up the use of motorised threshers in Niger. This will have benefits in terms of less labour demand, reducing post-harvest losses, and improved grain quality.

Keywords: motorised threshing; labour demand; threshing percent; economic return; farmers preferences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2026.153998

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2026 Vol.10 No.2/3, pp.190 - 200

Received: 01 Feb 2024
Accepted: 13 Feb 2025
Published online: 09 Jun 2026 *

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Title: Technical and socio-economic assessment of manual and motorised threshing of pearl millet in Maradi Region, Niger

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