chassis. In addition to the shelling method described, the pedaling apparatus is connected to a fan. The fan automatically winnows the harvest (separates the shells from the nuts). The pedal powered versions are capable of shelling the same variety of crops as the hand crank powered versions. The processor also provides access for the winnowing section to be used independently from the sheller. This allows winnowing of crops that are not shelled, including rice, maize, and sorghum. Problems The universal nut sheller has been less than successful in Ghana. First hand accounts relate almost universal breakage. Users can mitigate this breakage by pouring the nuts through initially at very broad settings and only later at finer settings, this practice does not eliminate the breakage and destroys the efficiency aspect. Groundnut shelling tends to be a social activity everyone engages in during their down time and there is rarely a need for a peanut sheller. The Universal Nut Sheller proved incapable of shelling shea nuts in a manner useful for shea butter extraction for the shea nuts of Ghana. However, there are reports that it works for shea nuts from trees in Uganda. The cost also proved a significant barrier. It simply costs far more to produce (even excepting the cost of the mold, transport of materials to the village, travel to the nearest town to find someone capable of welding the metal parts, etc.) than individual growers were able to pay. However, growers unions who made the investment have been successful. Awards 1st place - Popular Mechanics 2006 Breakthrough Awards. See also Food technology Sanoussi Diakité References External links Video of Universal Nut Sheller in Uganda Full Belly Project - non-profit organization which designs and distributes appropriate technology, including the Universal Nut Sheller Peanuts-a documentary film about Brandis' creation of the first Universal Nut Sheller then known as the Malian Peanut Sheller Universal Nut Sheller used to dehusk Jatropha Nuts (2008) Video about Mali Biocarburant's use of the UNS to promote Jatropha curcas cultivation to generate income for poor farmers in Mali (West Africa). Appropriate technology Sustainable agriculture Jatropha Peanuts Coffee production