EnvelHope

How might the farmers of Nepal adapt their agricultural practices to ensure food crops survive in a climate with unexpected rains?

How might we cater to Nepal’s future needs and ensure economic viability?

A food dehydration system to fight food insecurity in Sandikhola, a city in the Ghorkha district of Nepal

Research

In Sandikhola, a family’s economic status is determined by their ability to trade. The primary resource traded is food—as the mountainous terrain of the village yields little alternatives to farming. During the summer, trading is successful because families have a surplus of produce to sell, but as autumn passes and winter falls, a bottlenecking of food occurs. The food rations begin to dwindle due to consumption and diminishing shelf life— leaving families without supplies in the throes of winter. Consequently, families are left without trading power and are worse off.

To combat this issue, the residents of Sandikhola lay their food on large tarps until it is adequately dried. This method has been practiced for generations, but how might there be room for improvement?

Nepal’s traditional culture and religious beliefs make it difficult for people to accept change, especially in the un-westernized regions such as Sandikhola. Therefore it is critical to work around these sociocultural norms and stigmas to design a system that utilizes techniques already practiced, but in a more efficient manner.

Ideation

How might we design a product that influences food security in Sandikhola? The research parameters included methods on food storage, preservation, and everything in between. Ultimately, food preservation, particularly food dehydration, became a top priority because it was best suited for the agriculture and terrain of the the targeted region. So what can we create with all this in mind?

Enter the ideation phase (my favorite phase!)

Round 1

Idea: Large geodesic dome made of bamboo and plastic to dry food through a large, central coil heated by the sun

Research: The materials would not be able to insulate the dome and keep the food dry. It was also very difficult to assemble! Compounded by the product’s high material cost and Sandikhola’s limited ground space, we had to revisit the drawing board.

Round 2

Research: What historical methods of food preservation have been practiced successfully?

Two primary solar drying methods have been used successfully: a bed dryer and cabinet dryer. Both of these dryers acted as units of dehydration and storage and, with the sun acting as the power source, they proved to be efficient and cost-effective. However, research revealed the cabinet dryer was not as successful in drying foods and the bed dryer resulted in issues such as hygiene and accessibility.

Idea: An envelope shaped drying bag that would dry food while keeping it safe from insects and pests.

Solution Design

EnvelHope is a food dehydration system that is designed to prolong the shelf life of food. The kit comes with the main device, an instruction manual, thermometer, additional pipes and sponge replacements, as well as a solar pathfinder to determine the optimum sun exposure.

EnvelHope is comprised of two breathable plastics that harness the heat from the region’s sunlight to dehydrate food for storage and distribution. The drying bag allows the food to release moisture naturally while forcing the evaporated water out of the system using a water purging mechanism, and includes a drainage system to allow water to escape.

EnvelHope’s design aims to combat Sandikhola’s food bottleneck by dehydrating suitable foods to prolong their shelf life. Dehydrating foods will give each family and community an economy that does not fluctuate seasonally—resulting in a steadier income. According to the World Bank, the average income of a Nepalese person is $1,500 USD compared to the U.S.’s $31,300 USD. With these figures, it is imperative to prolong the Nepalese’s ability to trade throughout winter in order for them to continue to earn and thrive, at little cost to them.

The simple design of the EnvelHope takes into consideration the Nepalese’s knowledge of their current drying process and integrates it with a more efficient approach—making it just as valuable to them.

The EnvelHope works well with the environmental constraints of the village; since the mountainous terrain of the Himalayas bound the town, a portable, scalable, and affordable device is complementary to their surroundings. Moreover, the EnvelHope is fully reusable. EnvelHope is made of two breathable plastics, which cultivate the sun’s heat—creating a more efficient method of drying the food.