DESIGN OF RICE TRANSPLANTING MACHINE FOR LOCAL FARMERS IN NORTH COTABATO

Josafat S. Baylosis, Ronnie S. Durupan, Cee Jay A. Lara

INTRODUCTION
Philippines is an agricultural country. Agriculture is the main source of generating income and
supply of foods around the country. The country is one of the world’s largest agricultural production.
Considering, Philippines’ rice production is estimated to be 9th largest rice producer and accounting for
2.8% of global rice production. The upgradation of rice farming in the Philippines will be a big help in order
to have efficient harvest and income for the local farmers and the economy. Likewise, here in our locality,
according to Mindanao Development Authority in the province of North Cotabato alone has 54 000
hectares of land allocated for rice farming and that is 3% of the production of the country.
Traditionally, the rice plating process involves two methods: by transplanting the seedlings and
broadcasting the pre-germinated seeds. The transplanting of the rice seedlings is productive in terms of
harvest but has higher cost in labor than the latter. The process is manually done with bear hands for the
traditional method of rice transplanting. However, the method of broadcasting the pre-germinated seeds
has an advantage in terms of the convenience, less in labor and lesser cost of time but lesser in crop
production. To summarize, the rice transplanting method has advantage in terms with of crop production.
Transplanting is one of the major methods in rice farming. For the method, seed is sown in one
place and seedlings after they have grown a little are transplanted to another. This is done in order to get
higher crops and less weeding. Transplanting of rice is highly laborious intensive, and it may require 20-
30 man-days per hectares. With this traditional method of transplanting rice seedlings is labor cost and
time-consuming process. Likewise, manual method of seed planting can result in low seed placement,
spacing efficiencies and serious back pain for the farmer which keeps the size of field that can be planted.
Moreover, designing a rice transplanting machine reduces labor cost and lesser time to transplant rice
seedlings. The design machine will be simple, fast and efficient, and less in labor for the whole operation.
The cost price of imported rice planters from other country like in online marketing platform is too much
expensive for our local farmers. Local farmers can do much to increase food production especially rice
crop production, if hard work can be reduced or totally removed from their planting operation.
The development and design of rice transplanting machine will have simple mechanism powered
by an engine for efficient labor work. In addition, considering the lack of locally made rice transplanting
machine in the locality, the design will be silver lining for the local farmers. This design will have a simple
mechanism for the ease of operation and will have a high performance and reliability.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To design a rice transplanting machine that easy to operate and use.
2. To develop a rice transplanting machine that has simple mechanism.
3. To design and develop a reliable rice transplanting machine that reduces money and
effort of the local farmers.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The Philippines is a rice field country. The country is one of the largest productions of rice in the
world. In the recent study, the country’s production in 2020 is almost 19.44 metric tons (MMT) which is
3.3% larger than the year of 2019 according to Philippine Statistics Authority (2020). The cross‐sectional
farm‐level data from 3,164 rice‐farming households in the Philippines, has measured the impact of
modern rice technologies on farm productivity while disentangling technology gaps (Villano et al., 2014).
Rice transplanting machine could help in more rice production to the local farmers.
Transplanting of rice seedlings can be categorized into three groups as follows: by hand (manual),
manually operated machines (work by manpower), and mechanically operated machines (work by engine
power). Moreover, farmers are not aware of the advantages associated with rice transplanting over the
broadcasting. Furthermore, they are unable to practice it for high scarcity of labor. The manual of
transplanting of rice seedling is triggering to musculoskeletal disorders, back problems, labor and it is
proving costly because of the labor required. This further leads to reduced profits to rice farmers in the
locality. Also broadcasting seedlings or rice seed reduces the produce by 2 to 3 times. In addition, the
mechanical transplanting of rice is the process of transplanting young rice seedlings, which have been
grown in a mat nursery, using a self-propelled rice transplanting (Ricman et al, 2015). Transplanted rice
had 10 to 20 % higher yield than broadcasted rice according to Mushiri (2017).
A rice transplanting machine is a specialized machine used to transplant rice seedlings in the field.
A common rice transplanting machine according to Harischan et al. (2017), comprises a seedling tray like
a shed roof on which mat type rice nursery is set, a seedling tray shifter that shifts the seedling tray like
the carriage of typewriters, and plural pickup forks that pick seedlings up from mat type nursery on the
seedling tray and put the seedlings into the earth, as if the seedling were taken between human fingers.
Machine transplanting using rice transplanting machine requires considerably less time and labor than
manual transplanting.
DESIGN PROCESS, GATHERING DATA AND COMPUTATIONS
In this chapter includes gathering of data and information, design procedure of the machine,
and computations.

Gathering of data and information. In this process the researchers will gather data and information on
the traditional rice transplanting preparation. This includes the proper growing of seeds, the proper
preparation of the rice seedlings, the number of days for rice seedlings for transplanting and the actual
transplanting process. Moreover, after the researchers list down all the gathered data and information,
researchers will formulate a solution and to come up a design and do background research to specify the
requirements.
Design procedure of the machine. The researchers will specify the requirements and needed for the
whole design. Software will be used for 3D drawing is upon the recommendation of the research adviser.
The machine will be four-wheel concept which uses a YAMADA Diesel Engine 7 HP (low speed). The engine
will traditionally assemble in front of the machine to accompany the requiring torque. It is not a riding
type machine. The machine will transplant eight rows in a single pass; and can carry more seedlings to
replenish the seedling tray. The transplanting mechanism is driven by sprockets on the rear axle.

The Major Parts of the Machine

1. Diesel Engine - is the solitary source of the torque to drive the machine forward while the
operator guiding the transplanting mechanism at the back. The general mechanism that is going
to be adopted is the use of the transplanting arm.
2. Ground Wheels - The four wheels which is contact on ground, two at the front and two at the
back both connected by a shaft. It mounted on engine by a chain on its front shaft. Its motion
gives to the quick return mechanism through the chain drive. On the periphery of this wheel,
blade is mounted to achieve proper grip in mud.
3. Sprockets - The main function of sprockets is to transmit torque through chain. There are two
sprockets: one driver and other driven mounted on respective shafts.
4. Chain - The function of chain is to transmit torque from driver to driven sprockets. The chain is
simplex type and motorcycle chain will be used.
5. Tray - This is used to store the rice plant from where the planting finger pick the plant and saw in
the ground. This tray has four vertical guide slots.
6. Planting Finger - The planting finger is the main element which is responsible for the plantation
of the nursery seed. It has the specific shape which picks the nursery seed and plant in mud. It
oscillates at certain angle and it is called as fixed fork mechanism.
 7. Chassis – The solid framework of the machine that holds all the components od the machine
including the engine.

Computation (estimated cost from the researchers)

Parts of the Machine Costs (PHP)
1. YAMADA Diesel Engine 7 HP (low speed) 13 500.00
2. Chassis (solid frame) 1 050.00
3. Ground wheel (4 pcs.) 1200.00
4. Sprockets and Chains (iron) 600.00
5. Tray 400.00
6. Planting Finger (multiple parts included) 1500.00
7. Labor 1500.00
Total: 19750.00

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The design of rice transplanting machine will be evaluated in the rice field. The evaluation will be
focused if there will be some points to be redesigned. The power diesel engine will be evaluated if it has
enough power for the machine needed for the operation. The tray mechanism, sprocket chain, and the
planting mechanism will also be evaluated in order to redesign and be altered or improved. The tray will
be evaluated if it is moving to both left and right directions while the tray on a grove. The use iron sprocket
with same diameter and number of teeth will be evaluated to reduce the damage when tension is high.
The sprocket and chain used for the machine will be foot cycle chains and sprockets. During the evaluation
of the machine when it is operated the sprockets will be evaluated if it got damaged by bending the teeth.
Moreover, motorcycle chain will be used in the design that can carry more weight.
REFERENCES:

DA, (2010). “THE IMPACTS OF RESEARCH ON PHILIPPINE RICE PRODUCTION2010”. Retrieved from
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/4824594.pdf

Department of Agriculture, (2020). ” Philippine agriculture rises to the challenging time”. Retrieved from
https://www.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-Year-end-Report

Kumar et al., (2017). “Rice Transplanting Machine”. Retrieved from

http://www.ijera.com/papers/Vol7_issue6/Part-4/L0706047175.pdf
Mushiri, (2017), “Design of a rice transplanter for Zimbabwean farmers Tawanda”. Retrieved from
http://ieomsociety.org/ieom2017/papers/424.pdf
Ricman et al, (2015). “Operational Manual for Mechanical Transplanting of Rice”. Retrieved from
https://csisa.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/Operational-Manual-for-Mechanical-
Transplanting-of-Rice
Tushar, P. (2016). “Design and Development of Rice Transplanting Machine”. Retrieved from
https://www.irjet.net/archives/V7/i3/IRJET-V7I3388.pdf
Villano et al., (2014). “Modern Rice Technologies and Productivity in the Philippines: Disentangling
Technology from Managerial Gaps”. Retrieved from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1477-9552.120

Mindanao Development Authority, (2020). Retrieved from https://minda.gov.ph/news/452-cotabato-

eyes-54k-hectares-for-rice-pro