Into Africa

One thing that Africa has a lot of is sun, although fridges are harder to find. It is logical therefore that dehydration using solar power is a good option for conserving and preserving foodstuffs once harvested, for the times of the year when they are scarce.

From his tiny office in the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Juan Angel Saiz has sent some rays of light to an area of the world with too much sun and not enough to eat, and the people of Burkina Faso are grateful.

A simple contraption that harnesses the immense power of the sun in order to dehydrate fruits and vegetables in a hygienic manner is tipping the balance in favour of the hungry.

Juan Angel wants none of the credit; recognising the efforts of two technicians at the university, Amparo Selpucre and Lucila Aragó, who have for the last twenty years dedicated much of their efforts to help Africa help itself. It was they who convinced Juan Angel to lend a hand and to develop an apparatus that could be assembled as easily as IKEA furniture where needed.

The story, like hunger, continues on a daiuly basis, as Juan Angel continues experimenting with different fruits and vegetables, searching for the most efficient ways to ensure that there will be food upon the tables in Africa.