Teacher builds maize dryer that can store over 150 bags for one year

Primary school teacher Ambrose Laibich, who has innovated "Ambich Driyer", a grain drying device to help farmers in addressing post-harvest losses. [Martin Ndiema, Standard] A school teacher in Trans Nzoia County has invented a grain drying device that could be a game changer in addressing post-harvest losses. For many years, farmers have been grappling with massive post-harvest losses due to high storage costs or wastage of produce due to poor storage conditions. Ambrose Laibich's innovation is giving hope, especially to maize farmers since the device can dry maize at no cost. The deputy head teacher at Titimet Primary School, who is a Biology and Geography graduate from Kampala University, has ingeniously devised a cobbed maize dryer, christened the "Ambich Dryer." Currently, maize drying methods rely on electricity, which is costly and environmentally unsustainable or even inaccessible to rural farmers. However, Laibich's device uses wind power to efficiently and economically dry maize, making it an environmentally friendly solution. His motivation to tackle post-harvest losses came from personal experience. Over the past two decades, he faced substantial losses due to rotting maize, theft and damage from rodents and weevils. He did research, leading to creation of his innovative maize dryer. Situated on Titimet farm, Ambich Dryer is a remarkable invention. Its primary objective is to enhance food and nutrition security by enabling farmers dry their produce rapidly in a hygienic environment. Gael Murkor harvesting her maize in Uasin Gishu County on August 31, 2023. [Christopher Kipsang, Standard] Maize cobs are carefully pre-selected before entering the dryer, ensuring no rotten, mouldy or germinating cobs are processed. Laibich said: "It is important to harvest early after maize matures in the field to minimise losses from wet conditions, theft and damage from rodents and weevils." The Ambich Dryer resembles a jet and measures 10ft wide and 6ft high with sliding wings that measure 3ft by 4.5ft constructed inside a cobbed maize store. It has wooden frames with wire mesh, joined with ordinary nails, with its size tailored to the farmer's maize store. Inside, a thermo-hygrometer measures temperature and relative humidity in the air surrounding the maize cobs. "In 2018, when I introduced the innovation, I harvested 163 bags of maize without a single bag lost to spoilage, a stark contrast to four previous years when losses were a recurring nightmare. My farm records show that I lost 74 bags of maize," said Laibich. This dryer can store over 150 bags of maize for more than a year before it is shelled and repackaged for sale or storage in ordinary sacks or hermetic bags. Its unique design uses convectional currents and a special ventilator on the floor to circulate air and efficiently dry the maize. Laibich envisions a future where it will become more accessible and portable, benefiting farmers across Kenya. He suggests incorporating innovation into vocational training and involving artisans to refine and mass-produce the dryer, potentially creating job opportunities. "Ambich Dryer" was invented by primary school teacher Ambrose Laibich. [Martin Ndiema, Standard] Leonard Kiprotich, a carpenter who was initially challenged by the dryer's concept, now considers it a source of new job opportunities. "A teacher (Laibich) called me and asked me to construct a dryer that I had never seen or constructed in my five years of experience in carpentry. But he gave me instructions on the design and I was able to construct it," said Kiprotich. Local farmers Hellen Simotwo and David Kipchumba lauded Laibich as a Kenyan hero who has provided a vital solution to maize farmers. Laibich's home has become a demonstration centre, attracting farmers from Matumbei ward and Endebess constituency who seek to learn about the dryer's operation and its role in curbing post-harvest losses. "Laibich's dedication to addressing a critical issue in agriculture serves as a shining example of how individual initiative can transform the lives of farmers and contribute to food security. His innovative solution holds the promise of not only reducing losses but also creating job opportunities," said David Kipchumba. John Kibet, a small-scale farmer and youth, sees the innovation as a way to address unemployment while mitigating post-harvest losses. "For Laibich, counting losses cumulatively of 74 bags of maize in four consecutive years from 2015 to 2017 was a big blow to food security and income. Now, having invented a dryer reducing post-harvest losses to almost zero is something to brag about," said Kibet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation's food policy brief, Kenya loses approximately 30 per cent of food produced after harvest, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions like the Ambich Dryer.

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