Development of Computer Aided Management for Grain Reception at Grain Storage Silos in Nigeria

Olorunfemi B.J, Adejuyigbe S.B., Adekunle A.A.

Modern grain storage and preservation system requires scientific and technologically skills, hence the need to incorporate the principles of good management starting from entrance of grain to the storage silos or warehouse and their release. Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) is the integration of computers into the design and production process to improve productivity. In order to reduce to minimum level the menace of grain- product losses as it affects farmers in Nigeria, this research had made use of CAD/CAPP to solve operational and management problems associated with grain reception procedures at the National Strategic Grain Reserve program of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Computer aided management system was developed to minimize time wasted during grain reception at the 12 operational silo complexes of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Queue theory was employed to monitor the time of inter- arrival, arrival, waiting and length time of grain. The modules were coded in Pre– processor Hypertext higher programming language using Dreamweaver platform and Structural Query Language as database management system. Losses were recorded during the reception and release of grain out of the National Strategic Grains Silo Complexes in Nigeria. These losses are enormous as a result of poor and manual handlings and other human factors. The results showed that introduction of Grain Storage Monitoring Software (GSMS) to grain arrival and reception management would reduce the waiting time from 10.hrs to 1.9hrs, while queue theory analysis showed that timely servicing of suppliers of grains and food materials to the Government warehouses and silos would ensure no time loss.