Solarains: Mechanization and Sustainable Processing of Climate-resilient Cereal Grains In Zimbabwe's Arid Areas to Ensure Food and Nutrition Security

Processing of climate-smart cereal grain (sorghum and millet) in Zimbabwe is dominated by manual, labour-intensive methods such as hand threshing and pounding. These outdated practices are time-consuming, inefficient, and place a heavy burden on women and girls, limiting their time for education and income-generating activities. Despite being climate resilient, the adoption of these cereal grains remains low due to the lack of affordable, off-grid mechanised technologies suited to rural smallholders. This results in high postharvest losses, poor grain quality, and reduced market value. Addressing this challenge through appropriate mechanisation can improve efficiency, reduce drudgery, and enhance food security, livelihoods, and gender equity in climate-vulnerable communities.

This project proposes the design and local production of a solar-powered, integrated sorghum thresher and roaster tailored for rural Zimbabwe. The unit will combine threshing, dehulling, and roasting functions to streamline postharvest processing, reduce labour burden, and minimise losses. Powered by solar energy, the technology is off-grid, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective, ideal for remote, low-resource settings. The equipment will be gender-responsive, easy to operate, and built using locally available materials to ensure sustainability and scalability. By mechanising sorghum processing, the solution will unlock productivity, enhance grain quality, and promote inclusive, climate-resilient food systems in smallholder farming communities.