Browsing by Author "Mahama, A.A."
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Item Availabilty of energy and agricultural mechanization in Ghana(Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, 2008) Josiah, M.N.; Bani, R.J.; Mahama, A.A.A variety of definitions have been postulated for food security. The bottom line, however, is the availability of food of good quality at an affordable cost to all and at all times. Many approaches have been adopted to achieve an increase in the availability of food. These include among others increased use of mechanization to expand area under cultivation. Many developing countries have adopted agricultural mechanization to modernize and speed up the process of agricultural land expansion. The available land in Ghana that is suitable for mechanization is put at 8 million hectares for which an estimated energy input of 6 × 106 kW is required. Of this amount only 3.1% is available. Analysis have shown that out of the 1.6 million hectares of land currently under mechanized cultivation the required energy input is 12 × 105 kW out of which only 15.6% is available. This shows a wide gap between the energy required and what is available to meet the objectives of agricultural mechanization.Item Effect of Initial Land Preparation Methods on Selected Soil Physical Properties in Afram Plains, Ghana(University of Ghana, 2014-06) Quaye, D.N.D.; Abenney- Mickson, S.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Engineering, Department of Agricultural EngineeringThe objective of the study was to determine the most appropriate methods of initial land preparations in Afram Plains based on their effect on selected soil physical properties such as dry bulk density, porosity, hydraulic conductivity and available water content. The study also sought to estimate the cost of preparing farm lands in the Afram Plains. The study was conducted in Odumesua in the Afram Plains District sampling soil from fields prepared with three identified and categorized systems of land preparations. These were Slash and Burnt cleared land with no-tillage (SBNT), manually cleared land with conventional tillage (MCT) and bulldozed land with conventional tillage (BCT). The soil properties were determined at 0-40cm depths at intervals of 10 cm for analysis. Financial cost of these land preparation methods was also estimated from machinery input cost derivatives and information gathered from local farmers. Dry bulk density, porosity and hydraulic conductivity were significantly (at p ≤ 0.005 level) affected by the land preparations methods. At different depths of sampling, hydraulic conductivity was not significantly (at p ≤ 0.005 level) affected. However, available water content was not significantly affected by both factors (land preparation methods and depth of sampling). Dry bulk density at 1.5g/cm3 reduced by 3% and 16% in MCT and BCT respectively compared with the UNCULTIVATED and SBNT. The results showed that agricultural lands prepared by bulldozing or stumps excavation and conventional tillage operations (BCT) was most appropriate using fertile agricultural soil indicators of soil physical properties. The results also indicated that it costs three times more in preparing lands employing heavy tractors like the bulldozer compared to the traditional methods of using human labour with simple toolsItem Effect of Initial Land Preparation Methods on Selected Soil Physical Properties in Afram Plains, Ghana(University of Ghana, 2014-06) Quaye, D.N.D.; Mahama, A.A.; Abenney-Mickson, S.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences ,School of Engineering ,Department of Agricultural EngineeringThe objective of the study was to determine the most appropriate methods of initial land preparations in Afram Plains based on their effect on selected soil physical properties such as dry bulk density, porosity, hydraulic conductivity and available water content. The study also sought to estimate the cost of preparing farm lands in the Afram Plains. The study was conducted in Odumesua in the Afram Plains District sampling soil from fields prepared with three identified and categorized systems of land preparations. These were Slash and Burnt cleared land with no-tillage (SBNT), manually cleared land with conventional tillage (MCT) and bulldozed land with conventional tillage (BCT). The soil properties were determined at 0-40cm depths at intervals of 10 cm for analysis. Financial cost of these land preparation methods was also estimated from machinery input cost derivatives and information gathered from local farmers. Dry bulk density, porosity and hydraulic conductivity were significantly (at p ≤ 0.005 level) affected by the land preparations methods. At different depths of sampling, hydraulic conductivity was not significantly (at p ≤ 0.005 level) affected. However, available water content was not significantly affected by both factors (land preparation methods and depth of sampling). Dry bulk density at 1.5g/cm3 reduced by 3% and 16% in MCT and BCT respectively compared with the UNCULTIVATED and SBNT. The results showed that agricultural lands prepared by bulldozing or stumps excavation and conventional tillage operations (BCT) was most appropriate using fertile agricultural soil indicators of soil physical properties. The results also indicated that it costs three times more in preparing lands employing heavy tractors like the bulldozer compared to the traditional methods of using human labour with simple tools.Item Input cost of tractor operations in Ghana using the Farmtrac 70 tractor(Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, 2008) Mahama, A.A.; Josiah, M.; Bani, R.; Musah, S.The Government of Ghana in an attempt to modernize agriculture is embarking on establishing agricultural mechanization service and support centres using Farmtrac tractors. This is to make mechanization services readily available to majority of the rural farmers who cannot acquire their own machines. One of the most important but difficult jobs for the Ghanaian farmer is the management of farm machinery and equipment. Farmers in Ghana are faced with farm machinery operation charges that are not realistic. They are either too low resulting in poor maintenance and unsustainable management of farm machines by their owners, or too high with the resultant high production cost and low returns on investment. This study attempts to analyze and show application of field performance data of the aggregation using Farmtrac tractor. The technical specifications and other literature review were studied on the Farmtrac 70 tractor and its aggregations. Field capacities were investigated and used to determine input cost. It was concluded that tractor operations using the Farmtrac could be cost effective. Details of the results of study are presented in this paper.Item Noise Abatement in Machine Shops Through the Use of Recycled Coconut Fibre and Polyvinyl Chloride Sheets As Noise Absorbing Materials(University of Ghana, 2014-07) Agyeman-Prempeh, N.O.W.O; Mahama, A.A.; Baryeh, E.A.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Engineering, Department of Agricultural EngineeringMachine shop workers are exposed to noise levels between 83 - 110 dB(A), however, levels above 85 dB (A) are hazardous to the ear. A study was conducted at GRATIS Foundation in Tema Industrail Area in Ghana, using sound level meters to determine noise levels and propose solutions. Sound levels during peak hours of operation in the machine shop were found to be above 95 dB(A). To reduce these high noise levels, Coconut Fibre (CF) a naturally occurring sound absorber, was combined with Polyvinyl Chloride Sheets (PVCS) or “Flexi Banner” to create a sound insulating panel. These combinations: CF, “PVCS + CF”, “PVCS + CF + PPVCS” and “PVCS + CF +PVCS” were tested in the lab for sound Insertion Loss (IL) and Transmission Loss (TL). In the test, CF thicknesses (10, 20 and 30 mm) were varied and 10 Octave band center frequencies of sound between 31.5 to 16000 Hz passed through the specimens. Analysis of Variance on results for TL test concluded that, thickness, frequency, and combination sequence (CS) and Frequency (FQ) interactions, had significant effect on TL, from 1000 – 16000 Hz. CS of PVC + 30 mm CF + PVC was selected as the CS with the most TL over the frequency range. With respect to IL test, it was concluded that, CS, Thickness, FQ, and CS and FQ interactions, also had significant effect on IL. PVCS + 30 mm CF + PVCS was selected for its high IL for higher frequencies from 4000 to 16000 Hz. It was also noted that, PVCS + CF + PPVCS could be used in place of PVCS + CF + PVCS to achieve similar IL averages, over the frequency spectrum. By combining CF with PVCS, it increased its TL by 24.5 dB(A) and IL by 26.02 dB(A) at 8000 Hz. After insulating the highest noise source in the machine shop (hand Held Grinder) with PVCS + 30 mm CF + PVCS, sound levels ranges dropped from 75 - 105 dB(A) (beyond standards) to 65 - 85 dB (A) range (safe zone). Hence, abating noise in the machine shop through combined CF and PVCS was successfulItem Soil Displacement Using Disc Plough in a Clayey Loam Soil(University of Ghana, 2016-07) Dazugo, E.; Mahama, A.A.; Malcolm, J.; University of Ghana, College of Applied and Basic Science, School of EngineeringSoil displacement by tillage is a major contributor to the redistribution of soil particles within the soil profile. The extent of soil redistribution eventually has an effect on the performance of crop production. It is, therefore, valuable to investigate soil displacement by disc plough since it is known to be the widely used primary tillage implement in Ghana. Consequently, a study was conducted at the Livestock and Poultry Research Centre of the University of Ghana (LIPREC) with a tractor - disc plough aggregate. Using three ploughing speeds (5km/hr, 7km/hr and 9km/hr) and three ploughing depths (12cm, 15cm and 18cm), a 32 factorial experiment was designed for this study. The essential soil and tracer characteristics were verified. The movement of tracers inserted into the soil measure soil displacement in the x-y-z coordinate directions. The data was statistically analysed to establish the effects of ploughing speed and depth on soil displacement. Results from our experimental study showed that on the average the disc plough tillage moved soil particles through a distance of 59.8 ± 12.5cm. Ploughing speed and depth had significant effects (p ≤0.05) on soil displacement by the disc plough. Increasing ploughing speed generally led to increase in soil displacement with a wider mix. The study also showed that most of the tracers were spread within the region of 12cm above to 6cm below the original surface of the field. The disc plough mixes majority of the transported soil particles within this region of the tilled layer. At higher speed of 9km/hr the displaced soil particles were highly mixed within this region whiles at 5km/hr the displaced soil particles were concentrated within the upper 6cm.