Analysis of garri frying machine manufacturing in Nigeria: Design innovation

Abstract

Production of garri (edible processed and granulated form of cassava) and sustaining the production process has become so laborious, time consuming, and predisposes one to some form of danger, especially as it concerns the hot fire that one is disposed to during the process. In west African tradition, where this garri serves as one of the major staple food in the sense that it can be taken soaked in water, or served with soup in the form of “eba”, is produced mainly by women. They do this by frying it over a wood fire in a shallow-ware cast iron pans (Agbada). For even circulation of heat that comes from that wood fire via the iron pans, they use spatula - like paddles of wood or calabash on the hot surface, where placed the granules for processing, to vigorously turn to avoid caking. This process brings about great discomfort as the processor (the woman) will have to sit sideways, just close to the frying fire from the wood. It is against this backdrop that this work seeks to establish a mechanized method of garri processing which is design innovation and sustainability analysis of garri frying machine. This mechanized method appears in form of machine with stainless steel drum, rotary conveyor and paddles fixed along the conveyor to a slower rotation in the same axis of the drum. This project also presents how important this design innovation is especially in the areas of economic growth, welfare and job creation.