Article Sidebar

Submitted
March 12, 2023
Published
November 27, 2023
Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 167 Download : 128

Main Article Content

Abstract

The study assessed the technical performance of three alternative drying systems for drying maize by smallholder maize farmers in Ghana. The three dryers considered were the AflaStop (EasyDry M500) dryer, STR Column dryer, and the Solar Bubble dryer. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used for the comparative analysis and selection of the best alternative drying system based on its technical performance, durability, ease of use, cost of manufacture and operational cost. The drying rate and drying efficiency determined for the AflaStop, STR Column, and the Solar Bubble dryer were 2.20 %/h, 1.90 %/h, 0.98 %/h and 81.07 %, 64.65 %, 36.17 %, respectively. Considering a global priority value of 41 %, the STR Column drying system was selected over the AflaStop and the Solar Bubble dryers which had priority values of 34 % and 25 % respectively. The use of the AHP model was successful in selecting among three locally available low-capacity dryers, most suitable for maize drying by smallholder maize farmers, in Ghana.

Keywords

Low-capacity Dryers Drying Rate Drying Efficiency Analytical Hierarchy Process Global Priority Value

Article Details

References

  1. Akowuah, J.O., Lena, D.M., Chian, C. and Anthony, R. (2015). Effects of practices of maize farmers and traders in Ghana on contamination of maize by aflatoxins: Case study of Ejura-Sekyeredumase Municipality. Afr. J. Microbiol. Res. 9(25), pp. 1658–1666. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJMR2014.7293
  2. Akowuah, J.O., Maier, D., Opit, G., McNeill, S., Amstrong, P., Campabadal, C., Ambrose K. and Obeng-Akrofi, G. (2018). Drying temperature effect on kernel damage and viability of maize dried in a solar biomass hybrid dryer. Open J. Appl. Sci. 08(11), pp. 506–517. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojapps.2018.811041
  3. Amer, B. A. A., and Gottschalk, K. (2006). Experimental determination of the factors affecting the drying rates of apple rings under varying controlled drying air conditions. In CGIR Conference, pp. 1-7.
  4. Armah, K.A., Akowuah, J.O., Obeng-Akrofi, G. and Mcneill, S.G. (2021). Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process in selection of an appropriate drying platform for maize drying in a solar bubble dryer. Open J. Appl. Sci. 11(01), pp. 157–175. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojapps.2021.111011.
  5. Atanasova-Pacemska, T.P., Lapevski, M. and Timovski, R. (2014). Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) method application in the process of selection and evaluation. In: Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, Gabrovo. pp. 373-380.
  6. Cairns, J. E., Hellin, J., Sonder, K., Araus, J. L., MacRobert, J. F., Thierfelder, C., and Prasanna, B. M. (2013). Adapting maize production to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Security, 5, pp. 345-360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-013-0256-x
  7. Chamberlin, J. (2007). Defining Smallholder Agriculture in Ghana: Who are smallholders, what do they do and how are they linked with markets? Ghana Strategy Support Program (GSSP). Background Paper No. GSSP 0006, 44, pp. 1-51.
  8. Chinenye, N. M. (2009). Effect of drying temperature and drying air velocity on the drying rate and drying constant of cocoa bean. Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGRE Journal, 11, pp. 1.
  9. Chua, K.J. and Chou, S.K. (2013). Low-cost drying methods for developing countries. Trends Food Science Technology, 14(12), pp. 519-528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2003.07.003
  10. Costa, S. J. (2014). Reducing food losses in sub-Saharan Africa. An ‘Action Research’Evaluation Trial from Uganda and Burkina Faso. World Food Programme. Available at: https://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/special_initiatives/WFP265205.pdf [Accessed 10 May 2022]
  11. Darfour, B. and Rosentrater, K.A. (2016). Maize in Ghana: An overview of cultivation to processing. In: 2016 ASABE Annual International Meeting, Orlando, Fl, United States. pp. 1-16.
  12. Dhanushkodi, S., Wilson, V.H. and Sudhakar, K. (2014). Thermal performance evaluation of indirect forced cabinet solar dryer for cashew drying. Am. Eurasian J. Agric. Environ. 14(11), pp. 1248–1254. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2014.14.11.21871
  13. Hodges, R., and Stathers, T. (2012). Training manual for improving grain postharvest handling and storage prepared. UN World Food Programme / Natural Resources Institute, Rome - Italy. Available at: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/9572/ [Accessed 5 November 2021]
  14. Jorge, A., Kubaski, E.T., Colmenero, J.C., Sequinel, T., Sequinel, R. and Tebcherani, S.M. (2015). Analytic Hierarchy Process applied to the choice of a long-life tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) drying system. Dry. Technol. 33(10), pp. 1180–1187. https://doi.org/10.1080/07373937.2015.1020160
  15. Kaaya, A.N. and Kyamuhangi, W. (2010). Drying maize using biomass-heated natural convection dryer improves grain quality during storage. J. Appl. Sci. 11(11), pp. 967–974. https://doi.org/10.3923/jas.2010.967.974
  16. Kumar, D. and Kalita, P. (2017). Reducing postharvest losses during storage of grain crops to strengthen food security in developing countries. Foods. 6(1), pp. 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6010008
  17. Pauw, K. (2022). A review of Ghana’s planting for food and jobs program: implementation, impacts, benefits, and costs. Food Security, 14(5), pp. 1321-1335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-022-01287-8
  18. Ragasa, C., Chapoto, A. and Kolavalli S. (2014). Maize Productivity in Ghana. Ghana Strategy Support Program (GSSP) Policy Note 5, IFPRI, Washington, D.C. pp. 1-4
  19. Rossouw, M. (2016). Easy Dry M500: Assembly, Operation and Maintenance Manual. Available at: https://www.acdİvoca.org/2016/02/easydry-m500-assembly-operatİon-and-maİntenance-manual/ [Accessed 12 February 2022]
  20. Saaty, T. L. (2008). Relative measurement and its generalization in decision making why pairwise comparisons are central in mathematics for the measurement of intangible factors the analytic hierarchy/network process. RACSAM-Revista de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. Serie A. Matematicas, 102, pp. 251-318. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03191825
  21. Vaidya, O. and Kumar, S. (2006). Analytic Hierarchy Process: An overview of applications. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 169(1), pp. 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2004.04.028
  22. Vijayan, S., Arjunan, T.V. and Kumar, A. (2016). Mathematical modeling and performance analysis of thin layer drying of bitter gourd in sensible storage based indirect solar dryer. Innov. Food Sci. Emerg. Technol. 36, pp. 59–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2016.05.014
  23. Wolnowska, A. E. and Konicki, W. (2019). Multi-criterial analysis of oversize cargo transport through the city, using the AHP method. Transp. Res. Proc. 39, pp. 614–623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2019.06.063