How to build a mobile sun dryer in a cassava field in two days.

Leyte, Philippines. January 2017.

Construction Site

The last four months of the year were rather unkind to Southeastern Asian farmers who suffered consistent  waves of rain, crippling them from pulling the fruit of their work from a drenched soil. Wet cassava adds 30% to its weight and then needs a full three days of sunbathing to dry under sun rays.

Creative Solution

Locals did find a creative solution to battle  the aggression from the     weather Gods. Instead of taking  the roots back to the warehouse to dry, they built a temporary mobile ‘sun dryer’ next to  the field of work.   In fact, for every new hectare to harvest, they would reconstruct a sun dryer next to it for the duration of the harvest on that hectare.

Innovative & Recyclable

Great innovation until the NGO receive adequate funding to build a large, permanent and strategically located warehouse. Built out of indigenous bamboo that grows wild in the fores, polls tied with palm leaves and bamboo nails, the only non-organic item used was the transparent plastic sheets spread as one roof to diffuse the light onto the roots.

Daycare Center?

In the meantime, this natural relic also serves other community purposes.   Adopted as the luncheon room and rest area, it was also embraced by the busy working crew of parents, as their local daycare center.

Thank you for the donations from the Washington, DC area and France last month that contributed to this emergency undertaking.