Flour Power

Need• According to the International Labor

Organization, “Processed grain is one of the most important elements in the diet of low- income groups” in developing countries.

• Additionally the ILO found that appropriate technologies for grain milling keep the employment and earnings local.

• Farm technologies cannot be successful unless the recipients are able to reap the benefits in a sustainable way

Impact• Ugali or a similar

mushie maize meal is the staple food of over 200 million people in Eastern and Southern Africa

• Uses an excessively fine flour that is produced by a local commercial mill or ground by hand

Problem

• Currently flour is produced in small-scale commercial mills

• ~$1 per kilogram

• Entire daily wage for a Tanzanian

• Small scale farmers and low income consumers unable to obtain flour

• Reduced access to nutrition

Innovation• Objective is to design an affordable human-

powered grain mill that is capable of in-home production of flour fine enough for use in ugali.

• Our focus areas include ease of use, quality of output, maintenance, and sustainability.

• Our concept would provide an innovative substitute to commercial mills and store bought flour, which are expensive, and the mortar and pestle, which is timely and labor intensive.

Implementation

• Initial design & Prototyping: Spring 2011

• Mounting to GCS platform: Early summer 2011

• Testing and refinement: Summer 2011

• Distribution in Tanzania via GCS: Fall 2011