Tharaka Invention Academy Practices What It Teaches

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Tharaka Invention Academy Practices What It Teaches

In Tharaka Nithi County, as well as other parts of Kenya, the issue of food security is paramount. Unfortunately, the bulk of crops which are grown are sold as basic commodities or consumed directly by the farm owners. There is little value added processing in this production chain to boost commodity pricing, and growing seasons always end with a short harvest timeframe in which crops are at their peak ripeness and value. Coupled with this is a general lack of electrification, refrigeration, and other crop preservation infrastructure.

As the prime invention leader within Tharaka Invention Academy, Professor Singer performed considerable research to address some of the shortcomings mentioned above. The first prototype solar dehydrator he designed can be easily made from affordable and readily available materials. There is an abundance of skilled laborers and craftspersons who are able to replicate the design with little difficulty and a minimum of facilities and tools. Craftsmen could easily take this design and replicate it for wider distribution and thus provide their own additional income streams beyond making doors, gates, windows, and metal storage boxes. Glass or other glazing commonly used in other solar dehydrators to maximize thermal efficiency has not been used. Glass is heavy, expensive, and fragile and would not work well in local farm environments. Rather, he has employed other thermodynamic principles that are not commonly used in glazed dehydrators in order to compensate for this omission. Overall, the design is rugged, functional, and simple by having only one moving part. This is where higher education comes in handy giving inventors with such an edge.

Many will benefit in Kenya when it is able to dry many of its crops for export and for local consumption. Dehydrating crops in rural counties of Kenya can provide several important advantages, including increased shelf life. Dehydrated crops have a longer shelf life than fresh crops, which means they can be stored and transported for longer periods of time without spoiling. Dehydration removes water from crops, which reduces their weight and volume. This makes them easier and less expensive to transport and store. Dried crops are more valuable than fresh crops because they are more concentrated, have a longer shelf life, and are easier to transport and store. Drying crops can help to improve food security in rural areas by allowing farmers to store surplus crops for use during times of scarcity. Dehydrated crops can be exported to other countries, providing a valuable source of income for farmers and the local economy. Drying crops allows farmers to produce a wider variety of crops, and crop diversification is important for improving food security and increasing income.

Some crops that are commonly dehydrated and preserved in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya, include:

Fruits such as bananas, pineapples, and papayas
Vegetables such as spinach, sukuma wiki, and tomatoes
Herbs and spices like peppermint, parsley, coriander, and ginger.

When these very same crops are dried and packaged, the sale multiplies dramatically. See some sample prices: Papaya and Mango for example. The local price of fresh papaya is about $ 0.30/pound and fresh mango is about $ 0.20/pound. The typical percentage of weight reduction for fruits once they have been dehydrated can vary depending on the specific fruit and the dehydration method used. However, in general, dehydration can cause a significant weight reduction in fruits. Dehydration removes the water content from fruits, which can account for up to 90% of the fruit’s weight. So, the weight reduction of a fruit can be as high as 90%. For example, a fruit that starts at 100 grams before dehydration and has 90 grams of water content would weigh 10 grams after dehydration. In this case, the percentage of weight reduction would be 90%. However, some fruits may have lower water content and thus the percentage of weight reduction would be lower. For example, a fruit that starts at 100 grams before dehydration and has 60 grams of water content would weigh 40 grams after dehydration. In this case, the percentage of weight reduction would be 60%.

The additional storage life without the necessity of refrigeration is another added benefit. Different crops are best suited for different preservation methods, but dehydration is a popular method in Kenya as it is a relatively simple and low-cost way to preserve food. Dehydration removes moisture from the food, which slows down the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause spoilage. This allows the food to be stored for longer periods of time without refrigeration.

It’s hard to say which of the above-mentioned foods would be the most profitable to sell without more information about specific market conditions, such as supply and demand, consumer preferences, and competition. Some general considerations that can affect profitability include:

1) The cost of production: Crops that are inexpensive to grow, harvest, and process will typically have higher profit margins.
2) Market demand: Crops that are in high demand will typically fetch a higher price and be more profitable to sell.
3) Seasonality: Crops that are harvested during the peak of their growing season will typically command higher prices than those that are out of season.

That being said, some of the crops mentioned such as pineapple, papaya and ginger, may have greater potential for high market demands and better prices, as they have good export potential. Additionally, certain food items that are considered exotic or hard to find like mangoes might be highly priced in comparison to more common ones, which makes them more profitable.

7 BEGINNER TIPS FOR FOOD DEHYDRATING

For further background on food dehydration please watch “The Ultimate Food Dehydrator Guide“.

We have published other informative posts on Invention School’s website which may interest you. To view our entire catalog of over 780 posts go to inventionschool.tech/category/blog/ or use our handy search tool to find topics of interest to you.

Mechanical/Solar Engineer, Prof. Oku Singer

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