Solar food dehydrator to improve food access in Nigeria

Context/Problem:

The country of Nigeria experiences some of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world. Specifically, Sokoto, Nigeria, faces heavy post-harvest losses due to a lack of access to refrigeration and storage spaces, combined with a hot and arid climate.

Action/Solution:

My multidisciplinary team of policymakers, nutritionists, and engineers developed a proposal for a solar food dehydrator. This was designed to create better storage in order to minimize food waste.

The proposal included a funding plan utilizing African NGO and global development fund support. It proposed an educational program and blueprint to teach local community groups how to assemble DIY food dehydrators using aluminum, foil, and plexiglass to construct their own dehydrators. These kits would be distributed with easy-to-read pictographic instructions.

Outcome/Impact:

This solution was presented through the University of Missouri - Columbia’s Deaton Institute. It provides a cheap, efficient, and localized method of preventing food waste without requiring specialized skills for implementation.