famine and for food security and to reduce post harvest losses. These silos of various sizes will do for households, schools, other institutions etc. Food shall be stored during the period of bumper harvest and this will spur the farmers to produce these foods on a better economic pedestal. Boarding schools would not have to close down due to lack of food. Famine will be a thing of the past if period of drought is not very pro-longed so as to exhaust food stocks. It is also ideal for the New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) schools feeding programmes and also for the Millennium Project.

In times of disaster, (natural and artificial) as in floods, drought, wars etc. some amount of food shall be available to the people for use.

Our idea is to lengthen drastically the storage time for dried foods reducing the drudgery associated with having to periodically sun dry stored foods or to fumigate them to prevent insects infestation associated with it by periodically introducing high temperature forced air into the stored food. An eco-friendly design which uses no chemical for food storage- A phyto/insecta sanitary and “dryer” bin. The heat source could be the fire being used during cooking or specially provided fires to give heat on metals from where it will be sucked into the silos via the ventilator. We are currently using our limited resources to fund the project. It is our desire to introduce our findings to Governments, NGOS, International Agencies, Schools, etc and through the Buckminster Fuller Institute. It is our desire to work with International Organizations for food security and Rural Development.

PROCEDURE

Eco-silos that we call them could be earthen, metal bins, cement bricks, wooden ones (rodent friendly) and of various sizes but they should be such that they are air tight.

We used drums with wide lids with a clip. Because the drum could be damp on the outside which will affect the stored food inside especially in the Tropics, we decided to line the inside of the drum with plywood including the base. We did that by cutting a circular wood to fit the base of the drum. We then folded the plywood and glued it to the circular wood. We nailed it in place. We then made an opening 10 cm high from the base of the drum. It had a rubber seal which was circular and secured in place. We made the opening right through the wood. We then made a metal tube to fit through the opening and the end flanged and riveted to the wood to make it secured. We used filler to seal all holes, or crevices which might allow air to escape.

The other end of the tube is also flanged into the drum and riveted and the rubber seal put in place. We then welded 3 clamps on the metal drum.

A fine metal sieve or mesh for mosquito was cut circular to fit exactly inside the plywood lining of the drum. Under this was a coarse metal mesh with 4 stands to sit on the base of the wood to support the weight. Additional mosquito net was cut and plugged around the edge of the wood lining to reinforce any opening which will allow the content to pour.

The container was then filled with maize, rice, cowpea or any well dried food leaving head space of about 10 cm.

A ventilator was also built which is clamped tight to the opening made on the drum and the plywood lining. It is clamped air tight such that no air escapes, but goes into the bin and rises up through the stored food.

Two types of the ventilators were built:
1. Electrically operated and
2. Manual/petal operated.

1. With the electric one, a blower which is an electric motor with suction and discharge point was bought. An extension (tube) was made on the suction point such that heat from a fire source preferably through a hot metal top to avoid sucking smoldering fire which could endanger the stored products getting engulfed in fire. It was screened further through the suction extension as a safety measure. The suction extension is adjustable vertically to control inflow of hot air (temperature) into the bin.

Two thermocouples are placed one through the clamp point of the inner point and the second through the head space of the bin to monitor the temperatures in the bin. With frequent use especially in traditional set ups, they would be able to determine close to the desired temperatures with the “feel” with the palm or green leaves or as such as done with traditional baking.

The manual ventilator consists of the traditional type made by blacksmiths, Aluminum pot makers etc. to fan their fire. It is made similar except with two tubes instead of one to be secured at the suction and discharge points on the blower with the suction point adjustable to allow adjusting the temperature as desired to be sucked up into the bin. It is made of the disused water pumps of automobiles which is encased and given fans and with extension for the suction from the same fire source. The whole set–up is powered through a pulley system which is made of bicycle rim with a strong rope tied taught through the groove of the rim and through the pulley or the water pump, see picture. The pedal one is similar but uses fixed stationary bicycle frame with a pulley through the groove of the rim instead of the chain which could be powered when food is being cooked or as desired.

As the bicycle rim is rotated, it sucks the heated air and is discharged through the out flow into the bin and at one time the bin gets saturated with hot air. The temperature readings are compared and adjusted as desired using the inlet adjustable metal tube which sucks air from the hot surface. After a while, the lid clamp is opened and the hot air allowed to escape. Complete cooling is effected by sucking into the silo room temperature air and the lid replaced and the suction point also sealed with a specially made cover.

2. This manual type is applicable in areas which do not have electricity. The blowing unit or the ventilator could be group owned to reduce cost. Care is also taken that the stored product is thoroughly dried before being put into this bin with occasional hot aeration which destroys/ prevents insects and moulds else the product gets cooked instead and unfit for storage.

Initially, the hot air should be as low as 35º C then after a few days it is increased to 47 º C. Periodic hot airing allows the stored produce to stay very long and dry minus moulds, insects etc. This is an improved method for dried foods storage which could be adopted by communities with the ventilator being used by several individuals. For dried and smoked dried fish/meat etc., the temperature could go to about 50 º C. This method of grain storage is not suitable for storing planting seeds as the high temperature destroys their vigor.

PROFILE OF TEAM MEMBERS:

Sena Ahiabor graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from University of Ghana, Legon and served as a research assistant with Agricultural Research Station, Kpong and served as an intern for three years in Oensingen(So), Switzerland in general agriculture. He specialized in food crops production, storage and processing and a bit of animal husbandry also. Currently, he is into Agricultural consultancy services and designs of Agro projects for food security and rural development.

Apollonia Ahiabor also holds a Certificate in Computer Hardware, Accra, Ghana after writing her Baccalaureate. She is currently enrolled for a Diploma in Business Studies with Accounts Option. She is not only a wife and a partner but the pivot for our projects.