The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) ITPO Tokyo Office, in cooperation with the Government of Japan, has launched the “Industrial Vocational Training Programme in Africa and Asia through Technology Transfer from Japan”. The programme aims to contribute to inclusive and sustainable industrial development by strengthening the capacity of local engineers and technicians in Africa and Asia by deepening their knowledge and skills of technologies possessed by Japanese companies. For more information, please check the official programme page.
As part of this programme, two trainees from Madagascar were invited to Tromso Co., Ltd., located in Innoshima, Onomichi, Hiroshima, to participate in a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme in October 2024. The Grind Mill machines convert rice husks into solid fuel. The Grind Mill can produce two types of solid fuel: stick-shaped (momigalite) and chip-shaped (curl chip), both of which can serve as alternatives to firewood and charcoal.
In Madagascar, firewood and charcoal are commonly used as household fuels, contributing to deforestation. As deforestation worsens, the price of firewood and charcoal is expected to rise. Given this context, there is a high demand for the Grind Mill machine technology in Madagascar, as it can effectively utilize rice husks to produce more sustainable fuel.
About the Trainees
The training participants were two employees from Le Centre de Fabrication, de Formation, et d’Application en Machinisme et en Mécanisation Agricole (CFFAMMA) and one Malagasy-Japanese technical interpreter.
Mr. Hosana Richardson Technical and Commercial Director, CFFAMMA
Mr. Rakotondravao Hasitiana Johary Technical Collaborator of the General Director, CFFAMMA
Mr. Raveloson Edson Harinjato Interpreter at Madagascar Service
Training Schedule
7th October – 11th October 2024.
ToT provided comprehensive training on usage, operations and maintenance procedures of two types of Grind Mill machines. (TRM-120JPF/TRM-200CR)
Training Contents
・TRM-120JPF/TRM-200CR equipment inspection
・Equipment trial run
・Explanation of the structure, role of parts, and instruction manual
・Cleaning and maintenance procedures
・Troubleshooting training
・How to use a moisture meter
・Momigalite and curl chip production
・Assembly of individual parts
On the first day of the training, Fumio Adachi, Head of UNIDO ITPO Tokyo, and Chinatsu Hosokawa, Programme Assistant, visited Tromso to attend the opening ceremony. On the final day, CEO Masaaki Uesugi presented the training completion certificates to the participants, marking the conclusion of their training in Japan.
Trainees’ Comment
After the training, the two participants reflected, “We learned how to properly operate and maintain the Grind Mills. We also learned that it is necessary to check for stones or screws mixed in with the rice husks fed into the equipment, and that maintaining a constant moisture content in the rice husks is crucial to producing high-quality solid fuel. We actually made solid fuel using rice husks with different moisture contents, and we also learned about the ideal moisture content.”
UNIDO ITPO Tokyo will continue to strengthen its collaboration with CFFAMMA and support the dissemination of rice husk solid fuel production technology. In 2025, two Grind Mills will be transferred from UNIDO ITPO Tokyo to CFFAMMA. Mr. Richardson and Mr. Johary will pass on the technology know-how they acquired in Japan to students at CFFAMMA and farmers involved in agriculture, by using the equipment themselves. This ongoing effort will help promote the development of industrial capacities in Madagascar and contribute to local economic development through the use of sustainable energy resources.
