Laborsaving home and village technology for food processing and preparation

This study identifies home- and village-level technologies that minimize the time and effort spent performing these duties. After discussing the major processing and preparation tasks and the principles of technology transfer, the report describes 17 technologies for processing staple crops (grains and tubers), oil crops (seeds and nuts), and for cooking and related tasks. Grain and tuber processing technologies include: a dehuller and grinder for millet and sorghum; a mill capable of local manufacture, a water-powered mill, and a hand-held sheller for maize; a grater and screw press for cassava; a manual dehuller for rice; and a thresher, cleaner, and polisher for quinoa. Next, seed and nut processing technologies are discussed: a manual press for sunflower, sesame, and other oilseeds; a sheller for groundnuts; an oil expeller for palm fruit; and a fat extraction unit for the shea nut. Technologies for fuel-efficient cooking include: a three-stone hearth stove; two cookstoves (charcoal and wood); a solar box cooker; a community smokehouse for fish processing; and a technique to reduce the cooking time of beans. In addition, the report briefly describes four laborsaving technologies that are related to food processing/preparation - a concrete threshing floor, preparation of two "convenience" foods (sori and yam flours), and a water catchment technology. Each description includes a summary of the traditional task which the technology replaces, an estimate of the time the technology will save, and a list of sites where the technologies might be appropriate in terms of cultural acceptance, socioeconomics, and ecology. The study concludes by offering ideas for future activities.