Abstract
This study evaluates the performance of a locally fabricated one-row mechanized potato harvester designed for small and medium-scale farms in Kenya, focusing on its efficiency across different soil conditions. Mechanized harvesting addresses inefficiencies and post-harvest losses in potato farming, particularly in Kenya's diverse agricultural environments. The harvester was tested under dry soil (moisture content below 15%) and moderately wet soil (moisture content between 20% and 25%) conditions. Key performance metrics assessed included harvesting efficiency, tuber damage rate, fuel consumption, and field capacity. The harvester achieved an average efficiency of 93.4%, with higher performance observed in moderately wet soil (94.7%) compared to dry soil (92.1%). The average tuber damage rate was 4.2%, with more significant damage occurring in dry soil (4.8%) than in wet soil (3.6%). Fuel consumption remained consistent at 2.5 liters/hectare, and field capacity was measured at 0.4 hectares/hour. These results demonstrate the harvester's reliability and adaptability to local farming conditions, providing a mechanical potato harvesting solution for small-scale farmers in Kenya.
References
Davis, R., & Richards, M. (2021). Field Capacity Metrics in Mechanized Potato Harvesting Systems. Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, 52(2), 67–75.
Gildemacher, P. R., Maina, P., Kinyae, P., Nyongesa, M., & Zschocke, T. (2009). Improving Potato Production in Kenya. International Potato Center (CIP). Retrieved from https://potatocongress.org/stories/mechanization-improves-potato-production-in-kenya.
Jane Muthoni Mbugua, Hussein Shimelis, & Rob Melis. (2013). Potato Production in Kenya: Farming Systems and Production Constraints. Journal of Agricultural Science, 5(5), 182–192.
Jones, P., & Smith, L. (2018). Advancements in Agricultural Mechanization for Root Crops: Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness. International Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 10(4), 234–245. DOI: 10.15740/HAS/IJAS/10.4/234-245.
Kaguongo, W., Nganga, N., Mutunga, N., & Mulwa, R. (2008). Factors Influencing Potato Production Technologies in Kenya. Agrekon, 47(3), 321–335.
Karam, A., Filion, M., & Beauchamp, C. J. (2018). Soil Cohesion and Mechanized Harvesting Efficiency: Implications for Design of Potato Harvesters. Soil & Tillage Research, 179, 80–88. DOI: 10.1016/j.still.2018.02. 007..
Miller, J., & Williams, R. (2020). Fuel Consumption Analysis in Agricultural Machinery. Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 41(2), 115–123. DOI: 10.1016/j.jageng.2020.04.003
Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). (2022). Annual Agricultural Report: Trends in Potato Production in Kenya. Government of Kenya. Nairobi: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperatives.
Ndegwa, M. W., Nganga, N., & Jokastah, W. K. (2021). Adoption of Mechanized Potato Harvesters Among Smallholder Farmers in Kenya. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 16(5), 789–798. DOI: 10.5897/AJAR2020.15058.
Teycheney, M., Dufour, A., & Cordeau, S. (2021). Effects of Soil Moisture on Potato Harvester Performance. Field Crops Research, 270, 108232. DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2020.108232.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.