Dehusking and threshing are one of the measure that improve maize market value and lowering on post harvest losses along the maize value chain.
Dehusking is done after harvesting therefore learning the process is very key to maize farmers, additionally mechanical shelling is better than manual shelling since less time is spent on cleaning and winnowing grains, alternatively manual threshing can also be used by farmers with less access to machines however this should be done with less force to avoid breaking grains as Brocken grains are easily infested by pests and attract less market value.
Steps to be followed
At the start of the process move combs into the shade to protect yourself from the sun since de husking takes a lot of time, then split cob at top using a sharp object and strip it off from the ears this is followed by separating strip kernels and cobs to maintain quality. Nevertheless mechanical shelling is very important since cause less damage to grains and it is faster.
During mechanical shelling it is very important to set the machine grain size properly to avoid neither breaking grains nor leaving grains on cobs, conclusively collect spilled grains to avoid post harvest losses during the process and ensure food security at home.
