Motorized Planter and Fertilizer Applicator (Sénékéla): Mechanized Tillers, Planters and Fertilizer Applicators

Make farming easier with planting and fertilizing machines

This technology is designed to reduce the workload for millet and sorghum producers. It includes walking-style power tillers, hand-pushed planters, fertilizer applicators, small engine backpack brush cutters and paddle weeders, and power sprayers. The motorized planter and fertilizer micro-dose applicator, known as "Sénékéla", provides precise and fast placement of seeds and mineral inputs on prepared soils or ridges. These technologies aim to improve efficiency and productivity in small-scale farming, especially in regions with limited access to markets and infrastructure.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 8/9

1000 USD

Unit of Sénékéla

IP

Open source / open access

Problem

Preparing the land, planting seeds and adding fertilizer by hand are too hard for farmers.
It's take a lot of time to do and farmers spend much of money on animals or services to help
These different factors counteract the intensification of agriculture on existing croplands and its expansion into new areas, which are needed to improve food and nutritional security.

Solution

Mechanizing farm activities to reduce the physical strain on farmers and lower the costs associated with maintaining animals or hiring services.
It enables timely and efficient field operations, leading to increased crop productivity and higher profits.
A motorized planter and fertilizer micro-dose applicator, locally called “Sénékéla” ensures precise and fast placement of seeds and mineral inputs on finely harrowed soils or pre-made ridges.

Key points to design your business plan

The Mechanized Tillers, Planters and Fertilizer Applicators technology may be of interest to manufacturers, resellers, and users (farmers).

Manufacturers

Manufacturing mechanized tillers, planters, and fertilizer applicators offers an opportunity to significantly enhance agricultural operational efficiency.

To enter this market, follow these steps:

Identify suppliers or manufacturers of raw materials needed to produce this mechanized agricultural equipment.
Identify efficient transportation methods and suitable storage facilities to ensure timely delivery and proper storage. The technology is available in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Evaluate costs and your key customers are resellers, cooperatives, and agricultural associations, development projects.

By manufacturing mechanized tillers, planters, and fertilizer applicators, you contribute to modernizing agriculture, reducing reliance on manual labor, and significantly boosting agricultural productivity.

Resellers

Selling mechanized tillers, planters, and fertilizer applicators to the farmers can significantly enhance agricultural efficiency and reduce labor-intensive tasks. To effectively enter this market, consider the following steps:

Procure the equipment from reputable manufacturers in countries as Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
Identify efficient transportation methods to move the equipment from the source to the desired location. Additionally, ensure suitable storage facilities are available to store the machinery securely when not in use.

Determine the cost of the technology based on the size and specifications of the machinery required for your project. Factor in expenses such as transportation costs, import duties, and taxes to accurately assess the total investment.

Your potential customers are farmers, development projects, and farmers' cooperatives or associations.

Users

Using mechanized tillers, planters, and fertilizer applicators can greatly improve farming.

Your Important partners include sellers or managers who handle mechanized equipment for farming.

Consider the cost of Mechanized Tillers, Planters, and Fertilizer Applicators knowing that a single-row planters for millet and sorghum pushed by hand cost between 250 USD and 350 USD. Suppliers in Africa sell power tillers with 7 to 12 horsepower engines for US 1,200 USD to 2,500 USD depending on the make, power, and attachments. The Sénékéla motorized planter and fertilizer applicator costs about 1,000 USD and comes with a one year warranty on engine and parts. Fuel consumption is about 2 liters per hectare if regularly and appropriately serviced, and the machine has a lifespan of 10 years. The maintenance and repair costs for machinery is about 70% and 100% of its price.

Associate this technology with Fertilizer Micro-Dosing to Enhance Yield and Use Efficiency.

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive low

Under 18: Positive low

Women: Positive low

Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Mali	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Niger	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Senegal	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Sudan	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–		–
Semiarid	–		–
Subhumid
Humid		–		–

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Ensures fast, accurate placement of seed and mineral inputs on finely harrowed soils or pre-formed ridges.
Adjust spacing between plants and seed and fertilizer pockets.
Adjust the following skimmer and press wheel to ensure good coverage of seed and fertilizer by the soil.

Last updated on 22 May 2024