Design, Construction and Testing of a Cocoa Pod Breaking Machine to Improve Cocoa Processing

Abstract

The global demand for cocoa is increasing, calling for faster cocoa production processes. Cocoa pod breaking is a key step in the process and reliance on manual methods has largely remained unaddressed. One adverse effect of reliance on manual labour is the level of child labour in cocoa production increases. Aside from the manual process being ineffective, another implication is the risk the manual process exposes farmers to. This paper documents the design and local fabrication of a mobile cocoa pod-breaking machine that automatically separates the beans from the husk and placenta, using mechanized blades and a sieve system, thereby improving productivity, reducing labour cost, and on-farm hazards. Preliminary testing of the machine’s performance indicates efficiencies of 90-98% and bean damage of less than 2%. The business potential of this machine is also described.