This practice explains the basic technical features of the groundnut lifter used with animal power. It also describes advantages and disadvantages of groundnut lifter methods providing features of groundnut lifter manually.

 Description

1. Features of groundnut lifter

• The groundnut lifter is an extended ploughshare with steel rods replacing the mouldboard part of the plough and is fitted onto a standard plough beam.
• The share works at a depth of 10 to 15 cm, cutting the deep roots of the plants and lifting the plant and groundnuts over the steel rods, while the soil falls between the rods.
• The crop needs to be grown in rows.
• The lifter does not work well in very wet, very dry or heavy soils.

2. Advantages

2.1 Labour saving

• Much quicker than harvesting groundnuts by hand.
• This has an impact in the livelihood of farmers, they will be able to use the saved energy and time in other activities.

2.2 Livelihood strengthening

• Reduces harvesting losses if lifter is properly adjusted.

2.3 Equipment

• The lifter is attached to a standard plough beam. Relatively easy to manufacture if other draught animal equipment already manufactured.

2.4 Skills

• No additional skills to ploughing skills are required.

2.5 Cost

• Minimal additional cost if already own plough beam.

3. Disadvantages

3.1 Cost

• If draught animals are not already used, then the cost of animals and equipment and the skills required are high compared to hand tools.

3.2 Risk

• If the depth of the lifter is poorly adjusted the harvesting losses can be substantial.

3.3 Infrastructure

• Use of draught animals requires effective veterinary and extension services.

Figure 1. Groundnut lifter with curved blade

©FAO/TECA

4. Related/associated technologies

• Jab planter user manual: ID 7339.
• Labour-saving technologies and practices: row planting, hand seeders and planters: ID 7301.
• Labour-saving technologies and practices: seeds and crops: ID 7302.
• Labour-saving technologies and practices: conservation agriculture: ID 7294.
• Labour-saving technologies and practices: Draught Animal Power (DAP) planters and weeders: ID 7305.
• Labour-saving technologies and practices: draught animal power and implements: ID 7306.
• Labour-saving technologies and practices: draught animal powered and motorised crop processing: ID 7307.

This technology is also available is Portuguese: ID 2309.

5. Objectives fulfilled by the project

5.1 Labour-saving technology (LST)

The practice is labour-saving, strengthens livelihood, has easy equipment to use requiring no additional skills and has a minimal cost.