Nigerian engineering body initiates partnership with IITA

A group of engineers under the Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering (NATE) are seeking to collaborate with IITA in rolling out simple, cost-effective machines that could help make farming easy for African farmers.

The team visited Ibadan on 20 September to draw out a plan for promoting a new de-stoner machine for grains, fabricated to effectively separate grains from stones at harvest. Detailing the effectiveness of the machine, Emmanuel Adesina, Vice president, South-West NATE, said the machine is low cost, simple, and beneficial to farmers and young people involved in rice or grain production across sub-Saharan Africa.

“The de-stoner is relatively low cost compared to the price of an imported de-stoner machine with the same efficiency. The NATE de-stoner separates stones, dust, and husk from grains through the principle of gravity. It also has the capacity to process and clean 5 tons per hour,” Adesina noted.

Katherine Lopez, Head of Communication, welcomed the team from NATE on behalf of Kenton Dashiell, DDG Partnerships for Delivery, noting that the machine could be beneficial to the work of IITA and the IITA Youth Agripreneurs on rice and grains.

To advance the partnership, NATE was asked to submit a proposal on areas of possible collaboration with IITA. The IITA Mechanization team together with the Greenwealth Agripreneurs will visit NATE’s office to test the efficiency of the de-stoner.

The visitors also presented DG Nteranya Sanginga with a plaque of appreciation, which Lopez received on behalf of the DG.