Why is it that with every project I take on, I feel the need to reinvent the wheel? And this need for reinvention, especially when I'm not a expert in wheel construction, usually means a lot of time wasted on how to make a wheel, and not much of doing anything else.
So when the idea of food and water storage in rural areas came to mind, I spent way too much time thinking about it, and not nearly enough time researching it. Guess what? There are plenty of ideas out there, just need to find the best solution for my particular conditions. What are my conditions?
1) No money - whatever solution we use, it has to be as cheap as possible.
2) Local materials - has to be made locally, with readily available materials (especially those that won't kill the environment - sorry concrete).
3) Did I mention it has to be cheap?
4) It has to work well, be easy to use and maintain, with minimal skills and not be time intensive.
Studies have shown that 25-30% of all food produced is wasted due to inadequate storage. Storing food can also help small farmers, who can then afford to wait until the price goes up before selling their crop, making additional profit. But most of all, decent food storage is especially necessary in times of drought or family hardship, to keep the family fed. What I often saw in rural areas was a table in the middle of the hut, with a rice sack easily susceptible to insects, rodents, and moisture. So when that ran out and there was no money coming in, that meant there was nothing to eat.
Grain silos on a large scale are common. But that leaves the available food in the hands of smaller groups of people, who can control the costs of the grain, as well as availability. Also, if the grain is damaged in storage through pests or excess moisture, a larger amount of food is potentially wasted. Putting the storage in the hands of the people who need it makes more sense logistically and financially.
Googling the words "food" "storage" "silos" "small" came up with multiple answers that could potentially work for my needs. So far the cheapest I've read costs between $30-$100 for 500 kilos of grain, but I still need more information on how they are made and how difficult and expensive they are to use. They are made from thin metal sheets and need a low degree of workmanship to construct. As long as the grain is dry to 14%, it'll keep for a year.
Silos work well for grains, but what about other types of foods? Solar dryers don't impress me too much, because they are so pricey for one, but mostly because they dry out the food, turn it in to another form that may not be the form which is commonly eaten. If it's a new form of food, wouldn't most people be hesitant to eat it? Would it really serve it's purpose then?
Water storage is a whole other ballgame, and better left for future posts. There are so many answers to this question that the weeding out of the best ideas may take a while.
On a side note, I want to share a project that has inspired me to be more proactive with my ideas. Take a look at the ideas of a 17 year old who wants to use her photography skills to help empower women in Kenya. Donate if you can, and if not, please spread the word. It's projects like these that help keep young people interested in changing the world.
So when the idea of food and water storage in rural areas came to mind, I spent way too much time thinking about it, and not nearly enough time researching it. Guess what? There are plenty of ideas out there, just need to find the best solution for my particular conditions. What are my conditions?
1) No money - whatever solution we use, it has to be as cheap as possible.
2) Local materials - has to be made locally, with readily available materials (especially those that won't kill the environment - sorry concrete).
3) Did I mention it has to be cheap?
4) It has to work well, be easy to use and maintain, with minimal skills and not be time intensive.
Studies have shown that 25-30% of all food produced is wasted due to inadequate storage. Storing food can also help small farmers, who can then afford to wait until the price goes up before selling their crop, making additional profit. But most of all, decent food storage is especially necessary in times of drought or family hardship, to keep the family fed. What I often saw in rural areas was a table in the middle of the hut, with a rice sack easily susceptible to insects, rodents, and moisture. So when that ran out and there was no money coming in, that meant there was nothing to eat.
Grain silos on a large scale are common. But that leaves the available food in the hands of smaller groups of people, who can control the costs of the grain, as well as availability. Also, if the grain is damaged in storage through pests or excess moisture, a larger amount of food is potentially wasted. Putting the storage in the hands of the people who need it makes more sense logistically and financially.
Googling the words "food" "storage" "silos" "small" came up with multiple answers that could potentially work for my needs. So far the cheapest I've read costs between $30-$100 for 500 kilos of grain, but I still need more information on how they are made and how difficult and expensive they are to use. They are made from thin metal sheets and need a low degree of workmanship to construct. As long as the grain is dry to 14%, it'll keep for a year.
Silos work well for grains, but what about other types of foods? Solar dryers don't impress me too much, because they are so pricey for one, but mostly because they dry out the food, turn it in to another form that may not be the form which is commonly eaten. If it's a new form of food, wouldn't most people be hesitant to eat it? Would it really serve it's purpose then?
Water storage is a whole other ballgame, and better left for future posts. There are so many answers to this question that the weeding out of the best ideas may take a while.
On a side note, I want to share a project that has inspired me to be more proactive with my ideas. Take a look at the ideas of a 17 year old who wants to use her photography skills to help empower women in Kenya. Donate if you can, and if not, please spread the word. It's projects like these that help keep young people interested in changing the world.
