Most of the harvesting is still done by hand. As soon as the grains reach maturity, usually in July or August, men cut the fonio with sickles while women and children gather it into sheaves. A motor-driven mower may be used to assist in this. The sheaves must be stored in a dry and well ventilated area to prevent mould formation. During the dry season, sheaves are piled to large stacks in the sun to completely dry them. Threshing is done manually as well. Tractor-driven threshers are rarely used due to higher costs and a higher loss of the small grains. Grains are stored loosely. Hulls must be removed before consumption as they are not digestible. This process is traditionally carried out by women using mortars. After the fifth hulling, the fonio is called "whitened". Adhering grit and sand is washed away with the help of gourds. This process requires a highly skilled woman and up to 10 liters of clean water per one kilogram of fonio.