DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF RICE DESTONING MACHINE

  CHAPTER ONE 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study Rice (Oryza sativa) is a cereal belonging to the Gramineae, a large monocotyledonous family of some 600 genera and around 10,000 species (Wibberley, 1989). It is valued as the most important staple food for over half of the world population (International Year of Rice, 2004) and ranks third after wheat and maize in production on a world basis. More than half of the world’s population depends on rice as the major source of calories (FAO, 2003).The amount consumed by all these people ranged from100kg to 240kg per annum in the year 2000 alone (FAO,2003). Two main rice species are widely cultivated: Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima, with Oryza sativa being the more popular one. Rice is a major staple food in Nigeria, widely cultivated and consumed across the country. By 2015, over three-fifth of the world's population was expected to rely on rice as a staple (Echiegu, 2009). It's a versatile crop, used in various dishes - like flour, cakes, and more. Major rice-producing areas in Nigeria include Lafia, Benue, Osun, and Abakaliki. In Nigeria, rice consumption has risen tremendously at about 10% per annum due to changing consumer preference (Akande, 2003). However, (Ebuehi and Oyewole, 2007) discovered that most Nigerians prefer to consume imported rice brands as compared to local rice varieties. The reason is that most Nigerian rice processors lack adequate technology for rice processing to meet international standards. It is valued as the most important staple food for over half of the world population (International Year of Rice, 2004) and ranks third after wheat and maize in production on a world basis. More than half of the world’s population depends on rice as the major source of calories (FAO, 2003). The amount consumed by all these people ranged from100kg to 240kg per annum in the year 2000 alone (FAO, 2003). Oryza sativa is the go-to rice species, outpacing Oryza glaberrima in production. In Nigeria, rice consumption has risen tremendously at about 10% per annum due to changing consumer preferences (Akande, 2003). However, Ebuehi and Oyewole (2007) discovered that most Nigerians prefer to consume imported rice brands as compared to local rice varieties. The reason is that most Nigerian rice processors lack adequate technology for rice processing to meet international standards. It is one of the most important staple crops in Nigeria, and local production of the commodity has increased several folds in the last 4 decades. Despite the increasing trend in local production, Nigeria is still a net importer of rice. In the local markets there is a greater consumer preference for imported rice compared to the locally produced commodity because of some quality issues associated with the local rice. The presence of stones is locally processed. Nigerian rice has been identified as one of the major quality problems. The small Engelberg rice processing mill used by the majority of rice processors in Nigeria, which includes a dehusking element and a polisher do not come with de-stoners. De-stoners are found only in a few high-tonnage integrated mills or are sold as separate equipment. It was in the above context that the DFID-sponsored Promoting Pro-Poor Opportunities in Commodity and Service Markets (PrOpCom, 2012) engaged the services of M & A’s Greenery Ltd to conduct a survey of improved drying and de-stoning techniques and technologies in Nigeria. 1.2 The aim and objectives of the project The project's goal is to create a rice de-stoning machine that produces clean rice for consumption. The objectives are: ● - Develop a rice de-stoning machine ● - Evaluate its performance based on: - Impurity level after separation - Tray loss - Rice separation efficiency - Stone separation efficiency. 1.3 Justification of the project This project aims to improve rice quality, boost production, save time and labor, minimize de-stoning losses (vs local methods), cut rice imports, and create youth jobs. 1.4 Scope of the project This project focuses on rice (a staple in Nigeria) and evaluates the machine's performance based on rice separation efficiency and stone separation efficiency.