At IDIN, we’re all about learning, especially when it’s hands-on. Here we’ve compiled some of our favorite resources, many of which are used at our trainings and summits around the world.
Resource Library
Design, Construction, and Testing of a Mango Juice Extractor
- Student Papers
This paper details the design, construction, and testing of a mango juice extractor built to minimize post-harvest food loss in mango crops in Ghana and other mango-producing countries.
An Analysis of Zambian Cast Aluminum Pots
- Student Papers
This paper continues the previous research of the authors, in which structural failures of aluminum pots cast by Zambian businesses were evaluated. The authors then explored how local practices can be improved to prevent common use failures.
Performance Evaluation of a Peanut Planter
- Student Papers
This dissertation by KNUST student Francis Achaab evaluates the performance of a precision peanut planter developed at a Creative Capacity Building training in New Longoro, Ghana. The planter was evaluated on the parameters of planting depth, field capacity, field efficiency and rates of seed damage.
Exploration of Avocado Oil Extraction Methods and Potential in Rural Tanzania
- Student Papers
This project is a continuation of a challenge first explored at IDDS 2014 in Tanzania—the fact that excess avocado crops often go to waste in rural villages in East Africa. Its authors visited Tanzania to explore avocado oil extraction methods and market potential for avocado oil.
Standardisation of the Grating Surface of Cassava Graters for Gari
- Student Papers
This paper continues the previous research of the author, in which the author surveyed cassava grating surfaces on the Ghanian market. The author designed and tested three new grating surfaces to improve efficiency and ensure interchangeability of the cassava graters.
Performance Evaluation of a Two-Row Groundnut Planter
- Student Papers
This disseratation by KNUST student Priscilla Ama Dede Narh evaluates the performance of a manual two-row groundnut planter developed in a Creative Capacity Training in New Longoro, Ghana. The planter was evaluated on the parameters of seed damage, number of seeds discharged, seeding rate, planting depth, inter-row and intra-row spacing, effective field capacity and effective field effiiciency.
Design of an Absorbent and Comfortable Sanitary Napkin for Applications in Developing Countries
- Student Papers
This study looks at solutions to menstrual hygiene from a materials perspective, assessing available materials for the properties needed for a good napkin, and reviewing the literature for comparison between these and other materials.
Standardization of Grating Surface of Cassava Graters for Gari Processing
- Student Papers
This is the presentation abstract of a research project on improving the efficiency of cassava graters. The author surveyed existing cassava grating surfaces on the Ghanian market and then designed and tested three new grating surfaces. The project was presented at KNUST in July 2015.
Performance Evaluation of Both Hand and Foot Operated Rice Threshers
- Student Papers
This dissertation by KNUST student Dickson Duah evaluated the performance of two rice threshers originally produced in a Creative Capacity Building training in Konongo, Ghana. The threshers were evaluated on the parameters of speed of threshing drum, rate of threshing, capacity, efficiency, losses and drudgery. The foot-operated thresher was found to outperform the hand-operated thresher on all parameters. The student also made recommendations to improve the design of the thresher for better performance.
Essential Oil Distillation for Boa Vista do Acará
- Student Papers
A team of students from UC Davis D-Lab partnered with the Association of Organic Farmers of Boa Vista do Acará (APOBV) to build an oil distillation device as a follow-up to IDDS Amazon in 2016. They designed an oil distiller that can be built with local tools and materials, operate in humid conditions with fire as the primary energy source and produce oil at high quality in a high quantity to sell to tourists in local markets. This report chronicles the development and testing of this device.