Imara Tech Multi-Crop Thresher

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$700.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Community, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Imara Tech

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Pearl Millet Thresher.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The Multi-Crop Thresher is manufactured in Tanzania. It is built using sheet metal, mild steel, nuts/bolts and welding rods and fabricated manually with a welding machine, hand tools, drill press and lathe.

Intellectural Property Type

Patent

User Provision Model

Imara Tech aims to make business-to-business sales to partner organizations specializing in the distribution and sales in rural areas. The product is also aimed at entrepreneurs as an additional source of income. Users will be able to purchase MCTs at the fabrication workshops which also act as service centers for machine repairs, showrooms, office space and storage areas. The company intends to provide loans for purchasing the machine.

Distributions to Date Status

2750 units

Design Specifications

The Multi-Crop Thresher (MCT) is a throw-in type thresher. This means that crops are fed into the machine from the top. Once they enter the threshing chamber, a rotating drum beats the grains off of the stalks. Large chaff passes through to the exit of the chamber and expelled from the machine, while threshed grain falls through a sieve-like structure called a concave. A fan blows dust and small chaff from the threshed grain, which then leaves the machine through an exit chute to be collected in bags. The thresher is powered by a small 6.5 HP petrol engine. The MCT is made using sheet metal, mild steel, nuts/bolts, welding rods and PPE. The MCT is designed for portability in the field and around rural settings, it is equipped with two wheels. It also has an indented seat so that it easily fits onto the back of a motorcycle rack.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

It is foreseen that the most common modes of failure can be repaired by local technicians. However, Imara Tech plans to use the MCT fabrication workshops as service centers for machine repairs.

Replacement Components

Sheet metal, mild steel, nuts/bolts

Lifecycle

5-10 years

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

The Multi-Crop Thresher is designed to thresh crops in a relatively short time compared to traditional threshing methods. It can process 1000 kgs of maize in 24 minutes

Vetted Performance Status

Testing by the manufacturer found the MCT to be up to 90 times faster than traditional methods of threshing.

Safety

The potential risks associated with this product include grain projectiles from the thresher and minor winding risk.

Complementary Technical Systems

Entrepreneurs in villages can buy the machine and provide service to smallholder farmers, earning the operator up to 10 USD per hour.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

None

Other Information

• Youtube video showing how the thresher works
• Imara Tech Business-to-business sales
• Imara Tech Profile
• The Multi-Crop Thresher (MCT) specifications
• Entrepreneurs in villages