New grain Silo for africa's small holder farmers

The 6.2 tonnes capacity silo made by Brazilian company,
Kepler Weber, is fit for rural farmers and small sized
commercial farms, the firm stated.
The silo has been designed using corrugated iron sheets
and is solar power operated so that it can be used in rural
areas with no electricity connection, Kepler Weber said.
The cylindrical tapering silo dubbed ‘Kikapu silo’ is easily
loaded by hoisting grain bags manually using ropes, the
Brazilian firm revealed.
The silo is easily assembled for easy handling and erection
during times of grain harvesting and conservation.
“It has ventilation for drying the crop. Warm air is sucked
upwards using solar power and this lowers the moisture
content of the grains from 15 per cent to the recommended
13 per cent,” observed Antonio Carlos de Campos, the
foreign trade manager with Kepler Weber, during the
unveiling of the silo in Nairobi.
According to Campos, the silo is suitable for farmers in sub-
Saharan countries such as Mozambique, Ethiopia, Rwanda,
Burundi, Uganda and Kenya.
“Currently, the silo is priced at US$4,500 (Ksh 382,000) and
is fit for a group of farmers. Those with five hectares or
more will need to purchase two silo for their grain,”
explained Campos.