Flour Milling and Blending Systems for Wheat, Sorghum and Millet

Produce a premium wheat, sorghum and millet flour close to production areas

Flour milling and blending systems are small-to large-sized milling and blending systems, available from local and international manufacturers that allow production of premium wheat flour close to production areas. Small-scale equipment is relatively simple to install but require reliable sources of electricity. Solar power is an option as this technology is particularly advantageous in more remote locations.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

7•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 7/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

Adults, especially in agriculture, benefit significantly from value addition, reduced labor, and new market opportunities. The technology boosts income, productivity, and entrepreneurial potential, enhancing livelihoods in rural areas.

The poor: Positive low

The poor may struggle to invest in milling equipment initially, but they benefit from access to cheaper, nutritious flour. Over time, the technology can create jobs and enhance food security, though the immediate impact is lower.

Under 18: Positive low

This group benefits indirectly through improved nutrition from millet and sorghum-based foods. They aren't involved in milling or economic activities but gain from healthier, affordable meals due to increased local flour availability.

Women: Positive high

Women, being key in food processing, benefit from reduced manual labor and time savings. It also creates business opportunities in food production, helping improve their income and reducing household burdens.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

The technology helps farmers adapt to climate change by enabling them to add value to crops, store processed flour, and reduce crop loss, making them more resilient to climate variability.

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

The carbon emissions are similar to traditional methods due to energy requirements for milling and blending, with no significant reduction unless renewable energy sources are used.

Water use: A bit less water used

The technology uses less water compared to traditional grain preparation methods, as flour processing and cooking require less water than whole grain washing and boiling.

Problem

The problems addressed by the technology of Flour Milling and Blending Systems, include:

Quality and Market Accessibility: Manual techniques for producing wheat flour used in many Sub-Saharan African communities do not meet quality standards preferred by consumers, thereby limiting market opportunities.
Transport Costs and Shelf Life: There is a challenge regarding the costs associated with transporting wheat from farms to factories. Additionally, the limited shelf life affects access and supply to markets, food processors, and manufacturers on local and national scales.
Competitiveness and Self-Sufficiency: African wheat farmers face challenges in competing with imported products due to the limitations of manual techniques and the quality of flour produced. There's a need to enhance their competitiveness and achieve self-sufficiency in wheat-related products.

Solution

The technology of Flour Milling and Blending Systems offers several solutions to these challenges:

Improved Flour Production: It allows for the production of premium wheat flour using milling and blending systems of various sizes, ensuring quality that meets consumer standards.
Reduction in Transport Costs: By allowing the processing of wheat into flour close to production areas, it reduces transportation costs from farms to factories.
Longer Shelf Life: Flour milling and blending enable longer shelf life for the produced flour, facilitating better access and supply to markets and various food manufacturers.
Boosting Local Competitiveness: Building capacity in rural communities to mill and blend wheat flour boosts local output, adds value, and improves the competitiveness of local producers, enabling them to rival imported products.
Enhanced Business Development: Flour milling and blending technologies promote business development in rural communities by allowing for better supply chain management and trade opportunities.
Improved Equipment and Self-Sufficiency: Flour milling technologies offer a wide range of equipment suitable for different wheat processing stages, fostering self-sufficiency in food production.
Adaptability and Widespread Deployment: The technology's simple equipment setups, adaptable power sources (electricity, diesel generators, solar panels), and ease of installation allow for widespread deployment, especially in areas with limited storage facilities, poor infrastructure, and weak market links.

Key points to design your project

This technology aims to reduce the high time, energy and labor requirements associated with traditional grinding, making them more appealing to consumers. It benefits both consumers and farmers by reducing transport costs for farmers and contributing to food security and responsible consumption, with positive impacts on gender empowerment, climate, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This technology can be incorporated into nutrition projects as a job opportunity for young and women in food processing and supermarkets.

To integrate this technology into your project, create a list of project activities and prerequisites, including:

Awareness raising with farmers, agri-food companies and investors about the business opportunities created by the technology,
Formulating appropriate product standards, packaging sizes and prices based on consumer demand,
Identifying profitable, durable and equitable models for production and marketing flour products to local, regional and international markets,
Establish reliable supply of high quality grain to processing plants through nucleus farming or subcontracting,
Set up equipment and production lines that make efficient use of energy and labor,
Training operators and workers on safety and quality adherence throughout the manufacturing process.

- Estimate the quantity of Milling and blending systems needed for your project.

- As the technology is available in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, include the delivery cost to the project site and account for import clearance and duties if relevant.

Communication support for the technology should be developed (flyers, videos, radio broadcasts, etc.)

For better optimization of this technology, it is recommended to associate this technology with varieties for Better Nutrition and Stress Resistance

To implement the technology in your country, you could collaborate with Food processor companies.

Cost: $$$ 3,500 USD

For small flour mill machine with a capacity of 300 - 500 kg flour per hour

ROI: $$$ 12—15 %

increase in milling yield

38,000 USD

Base price for a fully automatic flour mill with a capacity of 30 ton flour per day

80—82 %

maximal recovery of flour

18—20 %

maximal recovery of bran

IP

Open source / open access

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

Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	Tested	Adopted
Mali	Tested	Adopted
Niger	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	Tested	Adopted
Senegal	Tested	Adopted
Sudan	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	Tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	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

Conduct Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to understand the market needs and identify viable business models.
Consult Experts for Location: If uncertain about the location, seek advice from experts to avoid investing in the wrong place.
Analyze Investment Requirements: Perform a comprehensive analysis of investment needs, considering capital equipment, staff wages, and other fixed and variable costs.
Identify Financing Strategies: Based on the analysis, identify financing options, including loans, personal funds, or investors.
Secure Funding: Once financing is secured, proceed to purchase the necessary machines for cleaning, annealing, and milling.
Construct the Processing Line: Build the flour processing line based on professional advice for optimal installation.
Optimize Electricity Costs: Minimize electricity costs to ensure profitability and maximize net margins during operations.
Implement Quality Assurance: Ensure continuous quality assurance at the flour mill to meet market standards regarding gluten content, sedimentation, and index values of the product.