THE ROLE OF ENGINEERS IN

Agricultural and Food

Security Sector

MR B.TANDARAYEN

SENIOR ENGINEER

MINISTRY OF AGRO-INDUSTRY & FOOD SECURITY

PRESENTATION IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRY SEMINAR – UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS 2015

Introduction

We argue that the practice of

engineering does not exist outside the

domain of societal interests.

That is, the practice of Engineering has an

inherent (and unavoidable) impact on

society.

Engineering is based upon that

relationship with society (inter alia)

Further the Engineer is part of the Industry

to service the Society.

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Engineering Profession

Our contention is that the

central focus of the

Engineering Profession is the

application of the scientific

knowledge through the

industry to meet societal

needs.

3

Student in Engineering

“a significant measure of an

engineering career that is

characterised by continued

professional growth”

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Professional Responsibility

and Professional Ethics

The need to lay emphasis on the following topics is

the responsibility of the Professional Engineer:

Safety and Welfare of the Public and the client

Professional Ethics

Legal Liabilities of Engineers

Environmental Responsibilities

Quality

Communications

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Cont…

Each of these topics relates to the

interaction on an Engineer to

Others: Clients, Society, Industry,

Employers, employees and to the

Engineering Profession.

Engineers should study Engineering

Ethics from the perspective of a

moral agent as opposed to a moral

judge

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Category in mid 1800

Five Clusters:

1. Mechanical & Production

2. Civil & Structural

3. Electrical & Electronics

4. Chemical & Materials

5. Transport & Marine

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Role of the Engineer In Industry

Typical Focus Areas:

Project Management

Manufacturing, Production and Distribution

Productivity, Methods and Process Engineering

Quality Measurement and Improvement

Program Management

Ergonomics/Human Factors

Technology Development and Transfer

Strategic Planning

Management of Change

Financial Engineering

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Types of Industries

Aerospace & Airplane

Aluminum & Steel

Agriculture & Agro-

processing

Construction

Consulting

Electronics Assembly

Energy

Entertainment

Forestry & Logging

Insurance

Materials Testing

Medical Services

Military

Mining Oil & Gas

Plastics & Forming Retail

Shipbuilding

Transportation

State /Government

Laboratory

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Techniques use by Engineers in

Industry Benchmarking

Design of Experiments

Employee Involvement

Equipment Utilization

Flow Diagramming

Information & Data Flow

Diagramming

Interviewing for Information

Lean Manufacturing

Organizational Analysis

Modeling & Testing

Operations Auditing

Pilot Programs

Plant & Equipment

Layout

Project Management

Simulation

Six Sigma projects

Statistical Analysis

Strategic Planning

Theory of Constraints

Time Studies

Work Sampling

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Role of Engineers in

Agriculture & Food Security

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Ministry of Agro-Industry &

Food Security

Policies and strategies regarding the non-sugar sector will have to consider the challenges, namely:

a) Production of a larger volume of quality food-

crops to satisfy the needs of a much higher inflow of

tourists and meet the demand generated by a higher

per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables of a

population increasingly aspiring to healthier life style

b) Production of a wider variety of food-crops to

cater for the growing demand for safer and higher

quality food; and

c) Reducing cost of production through increased

productivity per unit area of land and per unit cost of

investment.

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Non Sugar Sectors

Adding value is vital for the survival of the first

process in the food chain: Agriculture.

Along the corporate lines, to be profitable it is

essential that through growing, processing,

distribution, and market chain, skills are applied by

farmers, growers and fishers.

At all points along the chain, ways are being

found to facilitate the addition of value profitably:

through strategies regarding

Safety, Supply, Quality, and Innovation.

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Sugar Sector

The future prospects for the Sugar Industry are not

too bright with decreasing revenue, fierce

increasing competition and limited scope for

development.

The way forward is in revisiting and reengineering

of the existing service providing institutions in the

Sugar Industry to respond to the new needs of

stakeholders of the Sugar Sector.

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Engineering Division of the Ministry

of Agro Industry & Food Security

The Engineering Division offers a key and

essential service to enable the Ministry

machinery to function smoothly.

The Engineering has its office together with its

Workshop at Richelieu where all its activities

are centered.

The Engineering Division is part of the

Agricultural Services under the Ministry of

Agro-Industry & Food Security, and provides

Technical and Engineering support to all the

Divisions and Departments.

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Structure

The Engineering Division is headed by the

Principal Agricultural Engineer

assisted by the Senior Agricultural

Engineer and

a team of Agricultural Engineers

(Agricultural/ Civil/ Mechanical),

Agricultural Superintendent,

Senior Technical Officer, Technical

Officer, Draughtsman,

Senior Technical Assistant and Technical

Assistant

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Principal Engineer

Senior Engineer

Engineer

Engineer

Engineer

Pre- Registration

Trainee Engineer

Senior Technical Officer

Farm Structure &

Irrigation

Senior Technical Officer

Plants & Equipment

Pre- Registration

Trainee Engineer

Senior Technical Officer

ENGINEERING

WORSHOP

And comprises of the

following units:

1. Civil Works & Farm Building and Design

2. Central Workshop, Farm Machinery &

Heavy Vehicles

3. Irrigation and Drainage

4. Mechanical Unit - Arsenal

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Engineering Division Agricultural Development Division

Animal Production Division

Agricultural Chemistry Division

Division of Veterinary Services

Agricultural Information Division

Horticulture Division

Entomology Division

National Parks and Conservation Service

Forestry Services

Agronomy Division

Land Use Division

Support Services Unit

National Plant Protection Office

Food Technology Laboratory

State House & SSRBG

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1. Farm Structure & Drainage The Civil Works & Farm Building Unit of the Engineering

Division is responsible for:

1) The structural design and implementation of Ministry’s Building, Farm structures and Civil Engineering projects;

2) The maintenance of Ministry’s buildings and farm

structures;

3) Ensuring the structural soundness of buildings and Civil Engineering structures for the safety of the public

and staff;

4) The assessment of structures and the preparation of

technical assessment reports;

5) The repairs and rehabilitation of Ministry’s buildings and farm structures through the use of proper

techniques and materials;

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Cont…..

Automated

Shade House

Concrete

Farm House

Incinerator

Housing

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2. Engineering workshop Under the Mechanical Engineering Workshop, a labour

force of around 90 workers from various grades

Such as Workshop Supervisor, Foremen, Motor Mechanics, Carpenters, Masons, Painters, Coach Painters, Plumbers &

Pipe Fitter, Fitter, Turner Machinist, Plant & Equipment

Operator, Automobile Electrician, Welder, Blacksmith,

Drivers, Drivers Heavy Vehicle, Lorry Loaders, Vulganisers,

Clerical Officers, Storemen, Office Attendants, General

Workers

are called upon to execute maintenance works on Farm

buildings, Plant & Equipment, Vehicles, Agricultural Implements and other duties of the Engineering Division

A Fleet of 125 vehicles

Plants and Equipment: 250 items

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Maintenance & Repairs

Engine

overhaul

Lubrication

renewal Tyre defects

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Interventions … 24

servicing, 19.45

tyre renew., 12.86

tyre mting. O/dept.. , 1.07

tyre repair, 10.64

clutch rep. , 1.76

battery renew., 2.37

engine rep., 0.69 wheel balance, 1.68

body rep. Minor , 7.20

wheel align., 1.91

suspension, 2.07

steering, 1.30

hyd. Rep., 1.68

elect. Rep., 18.22

cooling syst., 1.07

fuel syst., 2.22

silencer rep., 3.06

starter rep., 1.07

alternator rep., 0.69

% of intervention per job category

Expenses….

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0.00

50000.00

100000.00

150000.00

200000.00

250000.00

JAN. FEB. MCH. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC.

S. PARTS

LUBRICANTS

LABOUR

OUT SERVICES

3. Plants & Equipment -

Outstation

The Ministry of Agro Industry & Food

Security is the only Ministry that has

the responsibility to

Maintain seven (7) incinerators

throughout the Island and it has a

cold seed store comprising of five

(5) rooms each of a capacity of 20

Tons of seeds.

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Cont…. The main Plant & Equipment under the

responsibility of the Engineering Division are:

Tissue Culture Unit – Lighting & Air Conditioning

Seed Production Unit - Equipment

Food Technology Laboratory (FTL) - Equipment

Generators and air Compressors,

NPPO - Heat Treatment Plant, Sulfuryl Fluoride

(SF) & Fumigation Plant

APD -Incubators Refrigerated Egg Cooler

All Air-conditioning Unit of the different

divisions

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Refrigeration Plant for

Seed Store

Compressor

unit Cold Rooms

Condenser

Unit

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Refrigeration Plant for Egg

Holding Unit: + Room

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Incinerator Plant

Unit plant

Combustion

Burner

Exhaust

system

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Post Harvest Equipment

Thresher for

seeds

Balling

machine Batch Dryer

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Design calculation,

technical specifications

Refrigeration plant: +ve and – ve temperature

room

Air Conditioning System

Burner sizing for incinerator

Pump sizing

Sizing of hot water heater plant

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Important factors in Design

Calculation – Refrigeration & Air

Conditioning Plant

Size

Outside Design Conditions

Inside design conditions: Temperature- Positive or

negative and R.Humidity

Type and quantity of Product to be stored and

use

Normally 24hrs

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Irrigation system design 34

Methodology Water Requirement of the species, soil type, number of emitters needed

and spacing between them.

Consider the flow rate/ emitter.

Then we calculate for the whole plot.

Layout of the system- with the different parts.

Estimate the length of pipes required.

Selection and Sizing of pipe.

Work out by calculations the head loss along each pipeline.

Pump selection.

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Design consideration of

burner for incinerator

The correct size of an incinerator is the most

important consideration

General Refuse Equivalent (GRE)

For example 1 kg of general hospital waste will burn

slower than paper of general refuse.

Hence, it said it requires the same incineration

capacity as 1.25 kg of general refuse.

This is called the General Refuse Equivalent of

general hospital waste

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Sizing the incinerator

For example it there are 100 kg of general hospital

waste is to be incinerated then the size of the

incinerator = 100 kg × GRE of 1.25 = 125 kg

If operated for 4 hours, capacity = 125/4 = 31

kg/hr

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Project involvement

Solar Photovoltaic Power Generating System (Grid

tie and Stand-alone)

Evaporative cooling system – conservation of

vegetables

Rain water Harvesting

from building for nursery

Inverted roof in fields

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Final Year Projects

Corrosion

Energy

Recovery

Biogas

Production

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Research work/Projects

Rain water

Harvesting

Renewable

Energy

Evaporative

cooling system

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Challenges

Environment issues

Procurement procedures

Sustainable maintenance

Training and development of

employees

Occupational Health & Safety

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CONCLUSION

Broad array of perspectives for

the Engineers in the

Agricultural and Food Security

Sector

Great opportunities for

Engineering research and

implementation projects

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THANK YOU