Gender-Neutral Pedal Operated Paddy Thresher for Small and Hill Farmers

Abstract

Paddy is one of the major staple crops cultivated in India, occupying approximately 47.82 million hectares, which represents the largest rice-growing area globally. However, Indian agriculture is predominantly characterized by small and marginal land holdings, with nearly 86% of farmers owning less than 2 ha of land. Because of fragmented farm sizes, the adoption of large threshing equipment remains limited, particularly in hilly and remote regions. Conventional paddy threshing practices are generally labor-intensive, require considerable time, and impose high physical drudgery, especially on women workers. To overcome these limitations, a gender-neutral pedal-operated paddy thresher was designed and developed at ICAR–Indian Sugarcane Research Institute (ISRI), Lucknow. The machine performance was evaluated under both institute and farmers’ field conditions using different crop varieties, moisture levels, and feed rates. The developed thresher achieved a threshing efficiency ranging from 91.62 to 98.78% and a threshing capacity of 90 to 106 kg/h. The machine can be operated comfortably by a single person in a seated posture, thereby reducing physical strain and operator discomfort. The operational cost was estimated at approximately ₹55 to 60 per quintal, indicating its economic suitability for small-scale farming. Owing to its portability, ease of operation, low maintenance requirement, and affordability, the developed thresher offers a practical threshing solution for small and marginal farmers.