Wednesday
Dec092009
MALI PROJECT
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2006 to Present Researching
Project leader - Will Koehl Faculty Advisor - David Bothman |
Background
Mali's population consists of diverse Sub-Saharan ethnic groups that share similar historic, cultural, and religious traditions. Dissan is a small village in the south near Bougouni where the sweet sorghum press will be tested. The village has 880 people in 66 households with an average household income of $250 per year. EWB-UCSB has an on-going relationship with the village. In 2007 a team worked with the village to repair their water pumps.
Project Summary
EWB-UCSB students are developing a human-powered machine to extract sweet juice from the stalks of sweet sorghum. The team will work with Malian workshops that will build kits for assembly by village blacksmiths. EWB-UCSB is collaborating with both African Sky, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable development and agricultural practices in Mali, and researchers at Emory University to develop syrup extracted from sweet sorghum as an alternative to purchased, refined sugar.This project is part of an innovative approach for agricultural development because it creates a new use for sweet sorghum, transforming a traditional Malian fodder crop into a low-cost, low-input cash crop. Additionally, sweet sorghum syrup has the potential to create a less expensive, more nutritious, locally produced alternative to sugar, which is frequently used to sweeten porridges.
In Mali, EWB-UCSB will be working closely with African Sky to understand how this technology will be operated and maintained within the traditional village structure. Emory University anthropology students and faculty are working with farmers to develop improved sorghum varieties and to quantify the nutritional benefits of sorghum syrup.
Project Goals
- Design a safe, human-powered mill to extract sorghum juice
- Build and test a prototype
- Understand how this technology impacts the communities where it is introduced.
- Fabricate mills in Mali, for assembly by village blacksmiths
- Strengthen the village economy by providing an alternative cash crop
Mali Team Blog
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 2:03AM