Vol. 7, Issue 11, Part F (2025)

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.) is a nutrient-rich and climate-resilient cereal, but its harvesting is constrained by the limitations of sickle use, which causes operator fatigue, musculoskeletal strain, and grain losses. Mechanized solutions such as combine harvesters are unsuitable for smallholder fields due to the crop’s short height, slender stalks, and compact earheads. To address these issues, two ergonomic manual cutters were developed by integrating crop morphology, anthropometric data of Indian agricultural workers, and ergonomic principles. The first, a Sliding Blade Cutter (Cutter 1), is a lightweight (60 g), palm-mounted tool adapted from an okra cutter-holder and modified with a shearing-type mechanism for selective earhead harvesting. The second, a Scissor-Type Cutter with Lever and Collection Box (Cutter 2), incorporates a bypass pruner blade, spring-return lever mechanism, and curved polycarbonate collection box to reduce muscular effort and minimize shattering losses. A supplementary collecting bag was also designed to reduce repetitive bending and allow storage of up to 2 kg of earheads. Together, these innovations demonstrated ergonomic and functional advantages over the sickle, offering safe, low-cost, and farmer-friendly solutions suitable for smallholder and women farmers in millet-growing regions.