Abstract

Engine driven sorghum thresher is a machine used to thresh sorghum to separate sorghum grain from the panicle. It uses engine to operate and undertake the threshing task. This sorghum thresher was demonstrated to the farmers and communities in Bambasi woreda of Assosa zone during the 2021 cropping season. The objective of the demonstration was to introduce farmers and other stakeholders with sorghum threshing machine, creating awareness about the machine, reduce crop loss during threshing. Selama Dabus kebele was selected from the district purposively based on the potential and experience of sorghum production. A total of 60 farmers were selected and produced Assosa-1 improved sorghum variety in a cluster based approach contributing 0.5 ha of land per individual farmers. Both theoretical and practical training were given for farmers, DAS and woreda experts on advantages, how to handle and operate sorghum thresher. Engine driven sorghum thresher was demonstrated to the farmers in the presence of different stakeholders after sorghum crop was harvested. The thresher can thresh 14-16qt per hour operated by two persons while it takes more than ten persons the whole day to get this much amount of threshed sorghum. During the demonstration all participants prefer sorghum thresher machine by seeing its capacity to increase the threshing efficiency, threshing capacity and to reduce the cost of threshing in comparison with traditional sorghum threshing. Even though using sorghum threshing is preferable due to time and labor saving quality, the participants raises their concern regarding availability and affordability of the machine. So, we have suggested to the government, NGOs and cooperatives to provide this sorghum thresher in to the area so as create job opportunity for youth and women.