A New Chapter in Grain Cleaning for Farmers in Zang, Nakpachie, and Yendi – An AGRA and iDE Powered Project Empowering Smallholder Farmers as Women Entrepreneurs

In the rural communities of northern Ghana, something remarkable is unfolding. Women entrepreneurs are stepping into roles traditionally reserved for others, shaping a future where farming is more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive. Thanks to our recent project with support from AGRA and iDE, these women entrepreneurs are turning everyday challenges into stepping stones toward progress. Farming in this region has long been hindered by post-harvest losses and limited access to modern tools. Post-harvest grain losses in Ghana can reach up to 30%, significantly impacting smallholder farmers’ incomes. Without access to efficient cleaning technology, many farmers struggle with contamination, pest infestation, and low market prices. The lack of modern grain-cleaning solutions has made it difficult for them to compete in the agricultural market, trapping them in a cycle of inefficiency and financial strain.

Recognizing this challenge, and with the support of AGRA and iDE, we have introduced advanced grain-cleaning technology tailored to the needs of these smallholder farmers. This initiative has provided modern, cost-effective cleaning machines that remove dust, stones, and other impurities, improving the quality of stored grain and increasing its market value. The deployment of the three grain cleaners and two multi-crop threshers is expected to significantly reduce post-harvest losses from 30% to under 2% while enhancing crop quality.

This initiative is designed to create sustainable economic opportunities, potentially increasing the incomes of participating farmers by up to 25% each season. Each grain cleaner will employ one young person as an entrepreneur and one person as a machine operator, while each multi-crop thresher will employ one young woman as an entrepreneur and two young people as machine operators. Farmers can now sell cleaner grain at 20–30% higher prices. With higher-quality grain, farmers can tap into more lucrative local and regional markets.

For Shei Memunatu, a maize farmer in Zang, the difference has been life-changing.

“Before, I struggled to sell my grain because buyers complained about impurities. With the new cleaning machine, I now get better prices and more customers.”

Farmers like Memunatu are now seeing real benefits, with some doubling their earnings thanks to improved grain quality.

On 12th December, 2024, over 500 farmers were equipped with the SAYETECH‘s multi-crop and grain cleaner and were educated on how to employ these equipment to enhance post-harvest practices. The project also involved the capacity building of 3 young women entrepreneurs, as well as the selected 3 young men as machine operators from Zang community, Nakpachie community and Yendi town. The purpose of this training was to build the capacity of the operators to ensure that they are well trained on the use and operation of these grain cleaners and they are able to provide grain cleaning services for the women in their communities.

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Group Photo of the 3 Selected Women Entrepreneurs and 3 Machine Operators Following the Training and Capacity-Building Session

The project is currently ongoing, with beneficiaries actively using the machines to serve their communities. These grain cleaners and multi-crop threshers are already making a difference, helping farmers save precious time during the post-harvest season and improving the overall quality of their produce.

As we move forward, SAYeTECH remains committed to monitoring progress and supporting the beneficiaries to maximize the impact of these tools.

grain cleaner training AGRA
Training and Capacity-Building Session for Women Entrepreneurs and Machine Operators Conducted by SAYeTECH’s Training Consultant, Mr. Mohammed, on the Use and Operation of the Multi-Grain Cleaner
Training and Capacity-Building Session for Women Entrepreneurs and Machine Operators Conducted by SAYeTECH’s Training Consultant, Mr. Mohammed, on the Use and Operation of the Multi-Grain Cleaner

This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our partners, AGRA and iDE. Their commitment to empowering communities and fostering sustainable agriculture has been instrumental in driving this change. We also extend our gratitude to the communities who have welcomed us with open arms and trusted us to help them on their journey.

Our doors remain open to other partners and clients eager to join us in the mission to revolutionize farming using smart post-harvest machinery. Together, we can tackle post-harvest challenges, reduce inefficiencies, and empower more farmers—not just in Africa but globally.

Stay connected with SAYeTECH for more updates, and let’s continue transforming agriculture, one community at a time.


SAYeTECH Picks GhIE’s Engineering Concepts and Innovation Award: A Second Consecutive Win

ghei award

GhEI Award 2023 Engineering Concepts and Innovation

SAYeTECH has once again been honored with the Engineering Concepts and Innovations Award at the prestigious Ghana Institute of Engineering (GhIE) Engineering Excellence Awards 2023. This recognition marks our second consecutive win, highlighting our ongoing commitment to driving engineering innovation in Africa’s agricultural sector.

The GhIE Engineering Excellence Awards are a benchmark for recognizing outstanding contributions to engineering and technological advancements within Ghana and the broader African context. SAYeTECH’s dedication to eliminating post-harvest losses by empowering farmers with smart machinery has earned us this great recognition.

Our innovative solutions are tailored to address the crop harvesting challenges faced by African farmers, with a focus on promoting sustainability, productivity, and economic growth. Through precision agriculture technologies like multi-crop threshers, grain cleaners, and cocoa pod breakers, all powered with IoT-enabled devices, SAYeTECH is reshaping the landscape of agriculture in Africa.

 

Being acknowledged by GhIE reaffirms our mission to harness engineering expertise for positive social impact. It motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation and collaborating with stakeholders to build a brighter future for agriculture across the continent.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to GhIE for this recognition and to our dedicated team whose relentless efforts have made this achievement possible. As we move forward, SAYeTECH remains steadfast in our commitment to driving meaningful change through engineering excellence and transformative solutions.

Join us as we pave the way for a sustainable and prosperous agricultural sector in Africa, where technology and innovation work hand in hand to create lasting positive change. Together, we can build a better tomorrow for farmers and communities across the continent and globally.

You Have It!

Empowering Women Farmers in Northern Ghana with Agricultural Machinery – Powered By FEED THE FUTURE

Soya farmers with their harvest threshed by Sayetech's multi-crop thresher
Soya farmers threshing their harvest with Sayetech's multi-crop thresher
Photo of soyabean farmers effortlessly threshing their harvest with Sayetech’s multi-crop thresher

For 500 smallholder women farmers in five communities in the Yendi Municipality, located Ghana’s Northern region, the arduous days of manual soybean threshing are becoming a memory, thanks to the grant from USAID supported Feed the Future Ghana Trade and Investment Activity and the innovation of SAYeTECH.

Traditionally, these hardworking women would spend countless hours in the fields, thrashing soybeans with sticks to extract the precious beans. This painstaking process not only demanded immense physical labor but also risked damaging the crops and led to significant post-harvest losses. The dream of efficient farming seemed distant, as the lack of access to modern agricultural machinery left them bound to time-worn methods.

But change was on the horizon. With the introduction of five multi-crop threshers funded by USAID and provided by SAYeTECH, a new era of convenience and efficiency dawned. The machines arrived like heralds of hope in the communities of Zang, Zagbang, Nakpachi, Gukpegu, and Kpasani, transforming the post-harvest season into a period of celebration and prosperity. A staggering 54 metric tons of soya was threshed in just one harvest season, saving each farmer up to a month of arduous threshing time.

The impact was immediate and profound for Musah Afishetu, a 40-year-old farmer among the first to experience the thresher’s efficiency, she marveled at how quickly her heaped soybeans turned into market-ready produce. “It’s like watching years of struggle melt away in a few hours,” she shared, her voice tinged with emotion and disbelief.

Soya farmers with their harvest threshed by Sayetech's multi-crop thresher
Photo of soyabean farmers taken after a successful soya threshing operation

Join us in celebrating this milestone for Yendi’s women farmers, a testament to the power of partnership and innovation.

#YouHaveIt

Emmanuella Mensah Shares Her SAYeTECH Story

“

Pursuing mechanical engineering as a female in Africa is a very daring move. My goal is to make a difference in the lives of many with what I’ve learnt and can do.

Working with Sayetech has been overall intriguing.

Being part and being able to witness how my knowledge is used to practically solve real life problems and change the lives of many in Africa. This is a very big score for me as a female engineer in Africa. I’ve been able to extensively appreciate engineering on a whole new level. Moreover, I’ve been able to enhance my CAD skills, learnt how to work effectively in teams and finally build healthy working relationships with my colleagues.”

 

-EMMANUELLA AGNES MENSAH

Mohammed Miki’s Story at SAYeTECH

When I started working at Sayetech, I was just an operator but over the course of the years, I’ve been able to pick up a few skills here and there.

I can now spot faults and make repairs on some of our machines.

And with patience, continuous effort, readiness to learn and the help of my colleagues and employers, I am now able to do welding and fabrication works for Sayetech that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to pick up at any other organisation so I’m really grateful to Sayetech for this opportunity.

–MOHAMMED MIKI