Peeping
at the Nigerian Research and Development Centres: Perfecting Agricultural
Machineries in AMT-P, Jalingo
Nigeria is blessed with uncountable
number of research and development centres. In the field of Agriculture alone,
there are 18 National Agricultural Research Institutes under the Federal
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development, several other research
Institutes and centres under Federal Ministry of Science and Technology,
Federal Ministry of Education, Sports, etc. These centres do not include those
created by some states and those under universities and polytechnics.
Virtually, each of the first and second generation universities nationwide has
at least one or two research centres aimed at development of one aspect of
technology or the other to address the developmental challenges of our
motherland, Nigeria. Some are working in partnership with other organizations
within and outside the country. Some of these research centres have achieved
amazing breakthroughs with fantastic results that could take this country out
of the woods. Unfortunately, the nation has given little or no attention to
such research results making them to end up in archives or on shelf. This
column intends to regularly peep at the activities of such centres, dig out
their achievements and challenges. It is my hope that those responsible for
doing the needful will swing to action and make this country attain its desired
position in technological breakthrough sooner than later.
It is based on this premise that some marvellous
achievements at the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Programme, (AMT-P), Jalingo attracted
my attention. AMT-P was established in
2010, located in Jalingo, Taraba State. It is one of the centres of the
National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), an Agency
of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) is
a modern method of production incorporating highly automated and sophisticated
computerized design and operational systems. AMT aims at manufacturing high
quality products at low cost within the shortest delivery time. This means that
the overall objective of AMT is to create wealth in Nigeria through technical
support to the manufacturing industry. The wealth generation from AMT might
come from increase of industrial productivity to reduce importation of goods,
equipment, raw materials and services resulting to increase in Gross Domestic
Product (GDP), Gross National Income per capita (GNI), and reduction in the
fleeing of foreign exchange. Wealth can also be generated through AMT support
by increasing export of goods, equipment, raw materials and services that might
generate foreign exchange for the nation, in addition to generation of value
added employments with the capacity for living wages.
AMT-P
Jalingo has the mandate of “Sourcing, Acquisition, Development and Application
of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for the production of components,
machinery and their production systems and transfer of same to satellite
industries”. It adopts advanced manufacturing technology as a manufacturing
process with a modern method of production incorporating highly automated and
sophisticated computerized design and operational systems aimed at
manufacturing high quality products at low cost within the shortest possible
delivery time. The programme entails skills
acquisition, training on various aspects of foundry, welding and machine
fabrication. The centre is headed by Engr. Professor Mohammed Dauda, a seasoned engineer as the
Managing Director/Chief Executive of the centre with a team of seasoned
engineers in all spheres of engineering
technology and a pool of well trained staff in various aspects of science and
technology, especially, manufacturing of technologies including agro-based
processing machines geared toward improving farming and related
activities.
In the six years of AMT-P existence, the centre has designed and
fabricated a number of agro-based machines along the values chain of the major
agricultural commodities. Surprisingly, many of these manufactured machines are
duly patented, which is a feat some similar centres have not been able to
achieve. Some of the recorded achievements are
1. AMT-P Magami Multi Grain Thresher
(MMGT) – manual threshing of grains is a tedious and time consuming post
harvest operation with tendency of loosing significant grain. AMTP has designed
and fabricated multi grain thresher called AMT-P Magami. This machine is used
for the separation of grains from the dried maize; millet and guinea corn. The
machines are in various models and capacities. The threshing capacity of Magami
model is 500kg/hr with physical Dimensions of 2200 x 1650 x 2100mm, weighting 220kg
and a threshing efficiency of 90 %. The MMGT has three different sizes of
interchangeable sieves
a.
Sieve with aperture diameter of 15mm
for maize and related grain size.
b. Sieve
with aperture diameter of 6mm is for guinea corn and related grain size.
c.
Sieve with aperture diameter of 3mm is
for millet and related grain size.
2. Fish Dryers or Kiln; fish drying is
another time consuming operation after successful fish catch. AMTP produced two models of fish dryers based
on weight and capacities. There are 50 kg and 20kg models. Fish dryer is a
device for drying and roasting fish. The 50 kg fish dryer can dry fish within a
time span of three hours, thirty minutes using 4kg maximum of dried lump
charcoal while for roasting, it takes one hour, thirty minutes. This model is
for an outdoor usage for of its size, it can also be placed in the fish farm
for easy processing. The capacity of the dryer is 500 kg per drying with
physical dimensions of 1035 x 1420 x 1150 mm, weighting 120 kg and drying and
roasting efficiency of75%. The 20 kg JE Fish dryer model is a 3-in-1 functional
device also for roasting and or drying fresh fish. This capacity can dry fish
in three hours, thirty minutes (3hrs. 30mins.) using 5kg maximum of dried lump
charcoal while for roasting, it takes one hour, thirty minutes (1hr. 30mins.).
This is usually used for indoor by individuals, hotels and eateries. The three major
units of both dryers are, the Power heating unit, the grilling unit and warm storage
units. The Capacity of the 200 kg per drying, physical dimensions is 1380 x 720
x 980 mm, weighting 140 kg with average drying/roasting efficiency of 75.69%
3. AMT-P Rice Thresher is another
machine that was perfected by AMTP, Jalingo. Rice threshing is one operation
that requires strong young men to do often with a lot of grain loss (as much as
30 % of the produce) and tendency of stones contamination. In fact, local rice is heavily objected by
many house wives because of the stones commonly found in rice as a result
threshing and drying. AMTP has developed rice thresher to address the problem.
The machine is used for the separation of rice grain from dried paddy. The
machine can conveniently process all varieties of rice. It has threshing capacity
of 800kg/hr, weighting 170kg with threshing efficiency of 93 %
In the manufacturing of all of these
machines, the centre has achieved an improved efficiency. However, apart from
improved efficiency as a result of strict adherence to engineering principles
during design and throughout product development circle, the technology is safe
and targeted at the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to take over. The
quality and performance of the products is not negotiable and there is good
finishing that provides attractive aesthetics to the end users and it also stands
them out among other similar products. To ensure that the user(s) have no
problem in the operation of the machines, all products are accompanied with
user’s guide as well as servicing and maintenance tools. The engineering skills
and craftsmanship imputed in the product distinguished AMT-P products from
other; this distinguishing factor made AMT-P do patenting for all its products
and, therefore, are ready to be ceded to SMEs. The ceding of products to SMEs
is the whole essence of the NASENI mandate; therefore, entrepreneurs are to
take advantage of the availability and higher performance of these machines by
AMT-P as the centre has promised to always be available to assist in fixing the
machine(s) any time there is a problem.
There is no doubt that these machines
are also being manufactured by roadside craftsmen and technicians of other
research centres, however, the outstanding feature of AMTP products is an
excellent finishing that has impressed many Nigerians as shown in the pictures.
This why the governor of Taraba state, Mr Dickson Ishaku requested for the
supply of 10 rice threshers and 30 fish dryers during his visit to the centre.
In conclusion, it is hoped that SME and
other relevant industries will take advantage of these perfected technologies
for commercial production. Nigeria is tired of importing readymade machineries
when we have huge potential for producing them here.
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