Stimulating market-driven agriculture and local entrepreneurship  using innovative solar drying of fruits and vegetables.


One day in a corner of the world a light went on. An idea was born. Great minds had worked together to illuminate the world with a new phenomenon, electricity. The possibilities with this new technique were endless and nowadays we can’t imagine life without it. We, as motivated students from different study fields, believe illuminating ideas based on new technologies can change a world. In this project, we aim to familiarize Gambian people with the use of innovative solar drying technology and market opportunities, by taking every step together with the local people of the Gambia.

 

Main goal

We are three students of the Technical University in Delft. Together we are exploring the possibilities of obtaining sustainable food in The Gambia. Last year a prototype of a solar dryer was designed and built. This year our aim lies especially with the implementation of this innovative technology into society: we will focus on filling in the gap between a working design and setting up a profitable system for local markets. During our stay in The Gambia we will conduct research on several subjects and phases contributing to our goal by getting to know market opportunities and at the same time providing the local people with the knowledge about and the means to obtaining sustainable food as a solution for food insecurity and malnutrition. Therefore our most important activity will be the building of a new solar dryer in another village in the Gambia, to enable the local villagers to preserve their food by drying, which will make it last longer. This way they might be able to have a more varied en secure diet all year round.

The solar dryer

The solar dryer is made of sustainable and local materials. The most important materials are red timber, corrugated sheet, old computer fans and a solar panel. The group of last year went to the school ASSS in The Gambia to acquire the local technical knowledge and to teach the pupils about the solar technology as well. Together they build the first solar dryer of this particular design. This year we want to visit the school again, not only to teach them the possibilities of solar drying, but we will also focus on entrepreneurship and especially the market commerce aspect .

Market commerce

To be able to explore the oppurtunities of market commerce in The Gambia in relation to dried foods, we will do market research on local markets in The Gambia. Beside that we will organize workshops and activities with the local youth to make them acquainted with the entrepreneurial aspect and to learn by doing. It is of importance that due attention is paid to the local youth of The Gambia, because for many of them a promising future is non-existent, let alone enough income to be able to nourish their families and themselves. 


Lead sponsor: Students4Sustainability