Template:Chapters 12.8

12.8 - Dual-purpose military shovels for disasters and farming

Raegan Wine, University of Guelph, Canada

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Wine,R. (2022) Dual-purpose military shovels for disasters and farming. In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

Introduction

Militaries use low-cost, lightweight and multi-purpose shovels. These features are ideal for small-scale farmers that often lack basic tools A dual-purpose military shovel (Figures 1-4) has the potential to be useful for multiple tasks undertaken by small-scale farmers for a variety of reasons. It makes farm work potentially easy and fast to complete, and the shovel can fold in half easily by unscrewing the side bolts and folding itself inward. Additionally, its low weight allows for use in any location, at any distance, and may be practical for small children and women to use (Chapagain & Raizada, 2017). There are different attachments that can be used, including a rotating shovel head. The ability to change shovel heads allows for a better fit in different digging conditions. The head of the shovel has a pointy tip that pierces the ground as well as ridges on the side that help with breaking the material down for easy pickup. When digging, the handle can be replaced to allow for a better grip while digging through soils or heavy rocks, allowing for more mobility and preventing injuries during work. The handle attachment comes with easily removable handle sizes, which allows the farmer to dig at lower or higher distances from the ground (Mohan et al. 2021).

Sources: https://www.amazon.ca/Adjustable-Multi-Function-Survival-Backpacking-Gardening/dp/B08V4B3Y2Q/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_w=QH0Ir&content-id=amzn1.sym.bc8b374c-8130-4c45-bf24-4fcc0d96f4d6&pf_rd_p=bc8b374c-8130-4c45-bf24-4fcc0d96f4d6&pf_rd_r=MGY913C3RBNEA5MZXARX&pd_rd_wg=j69R8&pd_rd_r=df5b6d8f-ef23-41b3-8627-26b5af28ce96&pd_rd_i=B08V4B3Y2Q&th=1

Figure 4. Use of a foldable military shovel (Chapagain and Raizada, 2017 .

How Can It Be Beneficial To Make Farming And Natural Disasters Easier?Farming

Dual-purpose military shovels may allow farmers to have a healthier and safer work environment and farm life, which can have a positive impact on income (Lim et al., 2016). It helps move soil and grain around, move or mix farmyard manure, pick out unwanted weeds and helps with irrigation including forming bunds (Mohan et al., 2021). The dual-purpose shovel is very helpful when it comes to cleaning debris from the land (Chapagain & Raizada, 2017). Most farmers are used to picking up bricks, stones and mud with their bare hands. However, this can be challenging in different weather conditions because of potential injuries and infections, and the increased amount of time that has to be spent in treacherous conditions. As mentioned before, dual-purpose shovels have different head attachments, allowing for more flexibility. Every farm has different land conditions; the land could be uneven due to packed soil or large slopes, making it difficult to lift heavy material. The angle of the spade can be easily moved to 180 degrees, 90 degrees and 35 degrees for easier pick-up. Normal shovels fail to accommodate these challenges and are not efficient in hard soil conditions, leaving strain on the equipment and farmers (Mohan et al., 2021).

Natural Disasters

Each year, smallholder farmers are faced with natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, drought, fires, hailstorms, etc. that damage not only their land, but the crops they worked so hard to grow. These events lead to many losses on the farm (agricultural equipment, dry seeds, planted crops and other materials) leading to loss of income. A disaster can wipe out many if not all of the crops that are being grown (Chapagain & Raizada, 2017). Low to middle-income countries are typically hit the worst when it comes to natural disasters. From 2008 to 2018, natural disasters cost $108 billion USD in damages to crops and livestock, in low-income countries (United Nations, 2021). Often after a natural disaster, a large amount of debris is pushed onto the land, pushing the soil out of place. Furthermore, branches and large rocks disrupt crops, calling for time-consuming clean-ups. Cleaning up after a disaster can be very challenging and dangerous as objects can be large and hard to carry. Dual-purpose shovels are very useful for the clean-up and removal of wreckage, as they can break down large materials efficiently and within a timely manner (Jayasekara & Arisumi, 2015).

Cost-Effectiveness Of Products Multiple Uses

The dual-purpose shovel is very cost-effective, as farmers do not have to buy multiple tools to complete one job. The different attachments for the head and the handle allow for different tasks including digging soil, mud, rocks and much more. Some of the shovels have pointed edges and tips, allowing them to puncture the ground easily. Another shovel head includes a flat top and sharp bottom which enables farmers to push the shovel down with their feet, helping to avoid placing pressure on their arms and lower back. The add-ons for the shovel are fairly inexpensive, manageable, and easy to work with (Kotowski et al., 2009). A regular shovel can cost between $22 and $66 USD which can become expensive if one is buying multiple shovels for different kinds of clean-up situations. A dual-purpose military shovel ranges from $14 to $36 USD, and it comes with all the attachments needed for all kinds of situations, thereby eliminating the need to purchase more items.

Cost-Effectiveness Of Products

Multiple Uses

The dual-purpose shovel is very cost-effective, as farmers do not have to buy multiple tools to complete one job. The different attachments for the head and the handle allow for different tasks including digging soil, mud, rocks and much more. Some of the shovels have pointed edges and tips, allowing them to puncture the ground easily. Another shovel head includes a flat top and sharp bottom which enables farmers to push the shovel down with their feet, helping to avoid placing pressure on their arms and lower back. The add-ons for the shovel are fairly inexpensive, manageable, and easy to work with (Kotowski et al., 2009). A regular shovel can cost between $22 and $66 USD which can become expensive if one is buying multiple shovels for different kinds of clean-up situations. A dual-purpose military shovel ranges from $14 to $36 USD, and it comes with all the attachments needed for all kinds of situations, thereby eliminating the need to purchase more items.

Injuries From Shovels

1.Traditional shelves

Working with traditional shovels causes significant negative impacts, including causing farmers to suffer more back pain. Most farming tools, including shovels, create awkward posture on the back and strain on other body parts, resulting in neck pain from poor shovelling techniques. This could potentially cause musculoskeletal disorders in farmers attempting to use old shovels, especially with a bad approach (Lim et al., 2016). This is especially problematic when it comes to youth handling farm work (Kotowski et al., 2009). When shovelling is done incorrectly, it places a lot of stress on one's body, as the joints and muscles are being used with an immense amount of pressure from the shovelling motion (Adeyemi et al., 2020). Most older shovels have a long wooden handle with no grip on the end, making them difficult to maneuver. Moreover, having a heavy metal head with no sharp edge for puncturing into the ground can cause great amounts of stress to farmers’ bodies and minds over time. To shovel effectively, taking breaks are essential. Heavy lifting can cause wear and tear in the heart and muscles. Breaks will allow for fewer injuries and fewer concerns about overworking (Adeyemi et al., 2020).

New Advanced Shovels And The Proper Techniques

When shovelling, there are proper techniques that allow for reduced pain in the body and faster results. When preparing to handle a shovel, the user must make sure that it is the right size to fit how the user likes to work. For example, gender differences can be very impactful on the type of shovel needed. Women, who are commonly shorter in height, can remove the taller handle and attach one that is closer to their size. The same can be true for children on the farm as well. When looking for a new shovel, it is recommended that one's hands are at least 12 inches apart on the shovel; this will allow for improved leverage and makes it effortless to transport and lift. The proper shovelling technique consists of three parts. The first is to keep one’s feet wide apart; one foot in front, close to the shovel, and the other in the rear. Secondly, one’s weight should be placed on the rear foot and the front foot should be kept in position. Lastly, one’s feet should be turned in the same direction as where the shovel will be hitting the ground. This technique helps displace the body’s weight to avoid causing unnecessary damage or strain to the body while ensuring the job is done efficiently and quickly (Adeyemi et al., 2020).

Picture Based Lesson to Train Farmers

Click on the image to access a higher resolution image as well as lessons adapted for different geographic regions.

Links to Useful Resources

This is a guide for the correct way to shovel soil https://www.buildingmoxie.com/guide-to-shovels/

Great shovel options for different types Everyday gardening https://www.gardenersedge.com/c/garden-spades-shovels?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Bing__Search__NB__Tools&utm_term=shovel&utm_content=428052603--1283130487031157--80195757321342&msclkid=7bfd2155d8251f1bf948420f3f08277e

https://gardenbeast.com/types-of-shovels/#:~:text=Shovel%20Grip%20%E2%80%93%20This%20is%20the%20top%20of,handle%20and%20the%20shovel%20will%20be%20handled%20directly

Different military shovels, small size, easy for natural disaster cleaning

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&tab=all&SearchText=shovels

https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/best-military-shovels/

Youtube video on the proper shovelling technique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUMxVJgtbOM

Picture-based lessons to train farmers

http://www.sakbooks.com/chapters3.html

References

1.Adeyemi, H. O., Babalola, A. A., Opafila, O. T., Akinyemi, O. O., & David, A. O. (2020). Scientific African. Sand shovelling and related injuries among sand mine workers in Nigeria, Scientific American 8, e00313 https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S246822762030051X?token=81EC1736CCCF8CDA0427BECAAE10D99F83F637D1428ADED6DEB6E29B06900452FD16CA7D38C2045E992FB76465C2B89D&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20221201194007

2.Chapagain, T., Raizada, M.N. (2017). Impacts of natural disasters on smallholder farmers: gaps and recommendations. Agric & Food Secur 6, 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-017-0116-6

3.Jayasekara, P.G. and H. Arisumi, H. (2015). Obstacle surmounting by arm maneuver for unmanned power shovel. IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 5540-5547. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7354162

4.Kotowski, S. E., Davis, K. G. and Waters, T.R. (2009). Investigation of select ergonomic interventions for farm youth. part 1: Shovels. Journal of Agromedicine, 14(1), 33-43. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10599240802612604

5.Lim, C. L. et al. (2016). Development and assessment of shovel applying foothold. Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea, 35(2), 67-74. https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO201614652758551.page

6.Mohan, T., Gajendra, P., Barkath, S.S. and Gopalakrishnan, S. (2021). Design analysis and fabrication of Multi-Purpose Shovel. Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology, 25(6), 4494–4500. https://www.annalsofrscb.ro/index.php/journal/article/view/6281

7.United Nations. (2021). Natural disasters occurring three times more often than 50 years ago: New FAO Report, UN news. United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/03/1087702