Motorized Planter and Fertilizer Applicator (Sénékéla): Mechanized Tillers, Planters and Fertilizer Applicators

Make farming easier with planting and fertilizing machines

This technology is designed to reduce the workload for millet and sorghum producers. It includes walking-style power tillers, hand-pushed planters, fertilizer applicators, small engine backpack brush cutters and paddle weeders, and power sprayers. The motorized planter and fertilizer micro-dose applicator, known as "Sénékéla", provides precise and fast placement of seeds and mineral inputs on prepared soils or ridges. These technologies aim to improve efficiency and productivity in small-scale farming, especially in regions with limited access to markets and infrastructure.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 8/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive low

Under 18: Positive low

Women: Positive low

Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Problem

Preparing the land, planting seeds and adding fertilizer by hand are too hard for farmers.
It's take a lot of time to do and farmers spend much of money on animals or services to help
These different factors counteract the intensification of agriculture on existing croplands and its expansion into new areas, which are needed to improve food and nutritional security.

Solution

Mechanizing farm activities to reduce the physical strain on farmers and lower the costs associated with maintaining animals or hiring services.
It enables timely and efficient field operations, leading to increased crop productivity and higher profits.
A motorized planter and fertilizer micro-dose applicator, locally called “Sénékéla” ensures precise and fast placement of seeds and mineral inputs on finely harrowed soils or pre-made ridges.

Key points to design your project

The adoption of Mechanized Tillers, Planters, and Fertilizer Applicators presents a promising solution for enhancing agricultural efficiency and reducing labor-intensive tasks. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 2, 5, and 13, this technology facilitates increased productivity, potential relief from labor burdens, and promotes sustainable land management practices.

To integrate this technology into your project, consider the following steps and requirements:

Build public-private partnership for scaling and investment of small-scale mechanization,
Demonstrate labor saving and agronomic benefits of equipment to incentivize uptake by farmers,
Train farmers and operators in the maintenance and use of the planters and fertilizer applicators,
Establish local hiring centers for machinery and technical support that provides access in remote communities,
Link community-based organizations, youth groups and individuals to credit facilities for purchasing or hiring small equipment.

Evaluate the size and number of units needed for your project, considering the cost of Mechanized Tillers, Planters, and Fertilizer Applicators knowing that a single-row planters for millet and sorghum pushed by hand cost between 250 USD and 350 USD. Suppliers in Africa sell power tillers with 7 to 12 horsepower engines for US 1,200 USD to 2,500 USD depending on the make, power, and attachments. The Sénékéla motorized planter and fertilizer applicator costs about 1,000 USD and comes with a one year warranty on engine and parts. Fuel consumption is about 2 liters per hectare if regularly and appropriately serviced, and the machine has a lifespan of 10 years. The maintenance and repair costs for machinery is about 70% and 100% of its price.

Engage a team of trainers to provide comprehensive training and post-training support for technology usage and maintenance. Develop communication materials such as flyers, videos, and radio broadcasts to raise awareness about the technology.

Collaborate with agricultural development institutes and/or fleet managers to implement the technology in your country.

1000 USD

Unit of Sénékéla

IP

Open source / open access

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology’s development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology’s readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 8 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: tested

Level of use 8 out of 9

Used by some intended users, in the real world

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Mali	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Niger	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Senegal	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Sudan	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–		–
Semiarid	–		–
Subhumid
Humid		–		–

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Ensures fast, accurate placement of seed and mineral inputs on finely harrowed soils or pre-formed ridges.
Adjust spacing between plants and seed and fertilizer pockets.
Adjust the following skimmer and press wheel to ensure good coverage of seed and fertilizer by the soil.

Last updated on 10 April 2025