This video was presented at the IL Global Food Security Summit by the ADM Institute for the Prevention of Post-Harvest Loss and ASMC. The BAU-STR Dryer is designed to dry paddy more efficiently than sun-drying. The BAU-STR dryer consists of two cylinders (inner bin, outer bin), blower, hot air pipe, burner, bamboo, polythin sheets and rope. The optimal setting of outer bin is for holding 500 kg of paddy. Rice husk briquettes are used as fuel. The function of the blower is to suck the hot air and push the hot air into the perforated cylinders evenly. The blower is powered by a 1 hp electrical motor. A hot air pipe is used for conveying the hot air which is generated by a burner. A temperature monitor meter has been added to continuously monitor temperature reading of grain, as high temperature or rapid drying reduces germination rate of seeds and milling yields, since cracks will develop.

Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium West Africa Regional Hub - Senegal Presentation by Dr. Aliou Faye at the ASMC Phase II Inception Meeting.

Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium - Cambodia Presentation by Dr. Dyna Theng at the ASMC Phase II Inception Meeting

Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium - Burkina Faso Presentation by Dr. Vinsoun Millogo at the ASMC Phase II inception Meeting.

Appropriate Scale Mechanization Innovation Hub (ASMIH) - Bangladesh Presentation by Dr. Md. Monjurul Alam at the ASMC Phase II Inception Meeting.

Scaling Gap Analysis and Technology Readiness Assessment Presentation by Dr. Ranjani Ananthakrishnan and Dr. Alan Hansen at the ASMC Inception Meeting.

The Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium Phase II Inception Meeting was held (virtually) on June 15th, 2021. The meeting provided the opportunity to network, collaborate, and learn about the activities that are going on within ASMC and the outlook for the project. 0:02:37 - ASMC Goals and Objectives 0:23:40 - SIIL Overview: Dr. Vara Prasad 0:45:09 - Keynote Speech: University of Illinois President Emeritus, Dr. Robert Easter 1:12:44 - Asia Overview: Dr. Manny Reyes 1:28:07 - Cambodia Presentation: Dr. Dyna Theng 1:43:08 - Bangladesh Presentation: Dr. Md. Monjurul Alam 2:14:13 - West Africa Overview: Dr. Ajit Srivastava 2:22:39 - Burkina Faso Presentation: Dr. Vinsoun Millogo 2:36:46 - Senegal Presentation: Dr. Aliou Faye 3:00:18 - SI Assessment Framework: Dr. Niroj Aryal 3:08:50 - Scaling Gap Analysis and Technology Readiness Assessment: Dr. Ranjani Ananthakrishnan & Dr. Alan Hansen 3:22:02 - ASMC Gender Integration: Maria Jones 3:30:15 - ASMC Youth Engagement: Dr. George Czapar and Dr. Samantha Lindgren

A look at draft animal power, land preparation with the ard plow and water lifting, mostly in north-central Ethiopia but also a look at Burkina Faso in west Africa, mainly water lifting technologies for small-scale market production. In this trip we were primarily meeting with farmers to learn their thoughts about how agricultural mechanization could help improve the sustainability their operations. This work is funded by the USAID Feed-the-Future program on sustainable intensification of food production.

Professor Gajendra Singh, Chair of the ASMC Science Committee, presented at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department's I4 Seminar on Friday, April 16th, 2021. Abstract: The Asian region has made great progress over the past six decades in transforming farm power situation from over 90% from animate sources in 1960s to over 60% from mechanical sources by now. Four main types of mechanical power sources are popular: i) 2Wheel-Single Axle tractors for wet tillage, transportation, water pumping and threshing; ii) 4Wheel-Two Axle tractors for dry tillage, transportation, planting and seeding, inter-culture, spraying, harvesting and threshing; iii) Electrical motors and Diesel engines for irrigation pump sets and many postharvest processing operations; and iv) Self-propelled machines like combine harvesters and transplanters. Average farm holding size is about 1 ha. More than 85% of 500 million small farm holdings in the world below 2 ha are in Asia. Increased utilization of machines available with farmers through custom hiring to neighbor farmers and or through larger operational holdings makes ownership of machines economic and profitable.