Re-design and fabrication of a rice de-stoner.

Abstract

Rice is the second highest worldwide production after maize (FAO, 2.004). Rice is a well-known tropical cereal considered to be a major food item because its nutrients encompass the entire (carbohydrate) fattening intake of mankind. (BABATUNDE, 2004). The rice produced by Ugandans is 6.1 % contaminated with foreign material (Tokida, 2014) which mainly constitutes of soils and stones mainly brought about by the post-harvest processes involved in rice processing from paddy. About 80% of rice in Uganda is produced and milled by small-scale farmers using cottage mills. The milled rice is of low quality and competitiveness on market is affected. This is because small scale farmers harvest and thresh paddy using rudimentary methods during which paddy is exposed to soil and stones. Rice is grown in all regi01us of Uganda. It's grown in the districts of Hoima, Masindi in the western, Lira, Gulu in the north, Nakaseke, Wakiso in the central and Butaleja, Pallisa, Namutumba in the eastern and many other districts (Tokida, 2014). This is a 10-months' project limited only to design, construction, testing and. economic evaluation of rice de-stoner for the small-scale rice production Uganda.