Maize farming communities often find themselves with an abundance of maize cobs, considered waste from the shelling or threshing process and typically burnt in the open air.
Again, drudgery accompanied with maize shelling is discouraging to would-be farmers.
The Technology Consultancy Centre of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology is therefore empowering maize farmers at Mfensi and Akrofonso communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana by building their capacities to repurpose these cobs into briquettes.
Apart from corn cob, rice husk and wood pieces were also used to produce biochar at Mfensi.
The communities have also been trained in the creation of effective tool for corn shelling to quell drudgery.
According to the Director-General of TCC-CIMET, Prof. Francis Davis, the move is meant to “transform what was once considered waste. The initiative extends the value chain of maize cobs, contributing to more sustainable practices and fostering a circular economy. Resulting briquettes can serve as clean energy cooking fuels.”
He added: “This approach not only promotes efficient energy utilization but also creates opportunities in sustainable building materials, contributing to both environmental conservation and employment generation.
The outreaches form part of activities to mark world Engineering Day which falls on March 4, 2024.
The hands-on workshops which were facilitated by Dr. Opoku Osei, Michael Commeh, Kenneth Donkor, Ms. Rhoda Dufie and Johnson Asante saw participants producing their own briquettes and corn shellers.
A beneficiary, Samuel Antwi, a welder, was optimistic the workshop will help generate additional source of income for him.
Another participant, Ellen Boatemaa from the Sekyere South District Assembly was hopeful the project will be extended to other communities.
