Farmers eager to embrace mechanized maize shelling through group business model

In sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Tanzania, maize is a lifeline for several million people. It’s not just a crop; it’s the key to food security, better nutrition, and improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers. For a long time, using machinery to grow maize was a distant dream due to low demand, insufficient policy attention, and the mechanization process was far from efficient. But times have changed, and now small-scale farmers are realizing the benefits of using machinery.

A recent study led by socio-economics scientists from IITA investigated the willingness of farmers to invest in mechanized maize shelling in Tanzania. The results suggest that most farmers are eager to invest in mechanized maize shelling to boost productivity and increase their income. Among the participants in the study, 65% are interested in the Group Business Model (GBM), where groups of farmers own and use maize shelling machines collectively, and around 10% are looking at the Individual Business Model (IBM), with farmers owning and using the machines individually.

Read more