Preliminary Report on postharvest technologies.  

This project had two major research objectives and one capacity building objective:

1) To perform a series of cool storage studies in 8 sites (2 of each RH%/Temp zones in collaboration with Horticulture Innovation Lab affiliated professionals in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America) in order to determine the performance efficiency of the ZECC compared to ambient air storage under a variety of combinations of high/low temperatures and high/low relative humidity conditions. The results will enable the UCD Horticulture Innovation Lab ME to provide accurate recommendations on low cost appropriate technologies for short term evaporative cool storage of fruits and vegetable crops.

2) To conduct solar drying studies in 8 sites (2 of each RH%/Temp zones in collaboration with Horticulture Innovation Lab affiliated professionals in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America) in order to determine the performance efficiency of the UCD solar chimney dryer compared to the traditional indirect solar cabinet dryer. Results will enable the UC Horticulture Innovation Lab M&E team to provide accurate recommendations on low cost appropriate technologies for solar drying of fruits and vegetable crops.

3) To build technical capacity in practical, low cost improved postharvest handling practices and simple technologies for cool storage and solar drying in a wide range of organizations in Tanzania, Ghana, Honduras, Guatemala and Thailand.