Techno-economic assessment of mechanised reaping and sickle cutting options for smallholder rice farmers

Abstract

Technical and economic performance of mechanized reaping and sickle harvesting methods were assessed under farmer’s field conditions in the Ashanti Region of Ghana for Amankwatia and AGRA rice varieties. Harvesting trials and field measurements were statistically analyzed as a split-plot layout in a randomized complete block design with three replicates at p < 0.05. Breakeven analysis for both harvesting options was conducted. Harvesting efficiency, field capacity, grain loss, and harvesting speed, respectively, ranged from 83.53% to 91.16%, 0.019 ha/h to 0.28 ha/h, 0.16% to 0.26%, and 0.19 km/h to 2.43 km/h for manual cutting with the sickle and mechanized reaping, irrespective of rice variety. Manual cutting was better at reducing grain loss irrespective of rice variety whereas Amankwatia offered significantly lower grain losses. The mechanized reaper was economically viable over manual cutting, breaking even after only 150 h of machine use and offering a substantially higher profit margin.