Drying food can boost incomes

Food drying has long been used as a means of preserving cereals, roots, vegetables and meat in many countries of the South. But it also presents an interesting opportunity in the small-scale food production sector. Drying food offers the chance to increase the value of surplus seasonal produce and earn extra income. The expansion of vegetable farms and the development of urban markets have opened up new perspectives for improving traditional drying methods and developing the potential of this food processing technique. This manual, from the Groupe énergies renouvelables et environnement (GERES), a French NGO with more than a decade s experience in the field of food drying, offers a step-by-by step guide to anyone thinking of setting themselves up in business in this sector. The easy-to-follow text describes the technology involved in some detail, including technical notes on the main dryers available. But it also devotes considerable space to financial issues, with advice on identifying markets, how to increase profits and how to manage cash flow. At the end of the book, there is a comprehensive list of useful contacts in ACP countries and in Europe, with names and addresses of support organisations, as well as suppliers. Setting Up a Food Drying Business: A Step-by-Step Guide By F Thuillier ITDG, 2004. 100 pp. ISBN 1 85339 498 X GBP12.95 19.50 ITDG Publishing Bourton Hall Bourton-on-Dunsmore Rugby Warwickshire CV23 9QZ UK Fax: +44 1926 634502 Email: info@itpubs.org.uk Website: www.itdgpublishing.org.ukFood drying has long been used as a means of preserving cereals, roots, vegetables and meat in many countries of the South