Design and development of a manual groundnut planter for smallholder farmers

This article presents the design and development of a manual groundnut planter, specifically tailored for smallholder farmers cultivating less than two hectares of land. The planter serves as an intermediate technology between hand tools and tractor-drawn multi-row planters, addressing the financial constraints faced by a significant portion of the farming population. The planter’s design focuses on minimizing drudgery by eliminating continuous bending and standing up, ultimately improving efficiency and reducing time wastage. Key considerations during the design phase include affordability, ease of construction using locally available materials, and low technological complexity, requiring minimal training for operation and maintenance. Operational functionality involves a single-row tiller drawn type planter, utilizing a feed-in disc roller principle. Seeds are poured into the hopper, picked up by the metering plate, and introduced into the chute. The furrow opener continuously opens the soil, and the seeds fall into the furrow, simultaneously closed by the leveller. The planter achieves a continuous planting at a 30 cm intra-row spacing. The article further details the description of the groundnut planter, highlighting its components such as the handle, seed hopper, furrow opener, seed discharge tube, main body (frame), and metering roller housing. The planter’s power is derived from the rotation of the wheel, and motion is transmitted through the shaft to the metering unit. The methodology is outlined, including a flowchart illustrating the design process and the use of AutoCAD software for the 2D design. Mechanical factors considered for the planter design include uniformity of seed depth placement, distribution along rows, transverse displacement, and soil cover. Design considerations prioritize the ease of fabrication, operator safety, simplicity for small-scale farmers, and the use of locally available materials. The viability and nature of the seed, including orientation and moisture content, are also taken into account. The article concludes with a discussion on the collection of required materials, including the seed box, seed metering disc, seed transmission hose, and main frame. The presented manual groundnut planter aims to enhance the planting process for smallholder farmers, offering an affordable and efficient solution to improve agricultural practices.