New drying technologies for basket weavers

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, April 13 (PIA) – The Coastal Community Resources (Coastal Core) and Livelihood Development, Inc. in its effort to help increase the fisher folks’ household income, Coastal Core introduced drying technologies that will undoubtedly help the fisher folks who chose basket weaving as an alternative to fishing activities.

Basket weaving is one among the many livelihoods’ diversification supported by the Coastal Core through a partnership project called “Convenio” under the Instituto de Promoción y Apoyo al Desarrollo (IPADE) and funded by the Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional Para El Desarrollo (AECID).

Coastal Core Project Coordinator Maila Quiring said that the technology will not only benefit their project-assisted communities but the basket weavers of the whole Sorsogon as well.

“Traditional drying process of screw pines, the primary material used for basket weaving, is dependent to sunlight. But the weather now is so unpredictable. Effects of changing weather to basket weavers cannot be impeded. This is why we come up with a climate change adaptive and hazard resilient drying facilities for handicraft weavers,” she said.

 “Prior to the beginning of the project study, we conducted comparative study to really come up with best results. We started by studying the traditional and local drying practices and tapped the expertise of outside resources in coming up with a more improved drying technologies. We conducted interfacing and pool traditional and modern procedures that eventually emerged into hybrid models with the highest efficiency and cost effectiveness,” Quiring explained.

Through the “Convenio”, five drying facilities were introduced namely: 

1.   DRUM TYPE DRYER

·         Plastic box with metal frame   ( 1mx1mx2m - height)

·         Aided by charcoal stove as heat source

·         Vertical drying compartment

·         Wrapped in plastics to promote greenhouse effect

·         With exit porthole on top to allow moisture to exit

·         Cost: P7,500.00

·         Life span: 2 years

 

OBSERVATIONS:

·         Slow drying of leaves. For best result, dry leaves first in the open before setting inside the dryer for finishing

·         Can be use during rainy season

·         Longer drying time, more fuel consumed

·         Exit funnel should be wider to facilitate/ promote additional draft of moist air

2.   SOLAR DRYER

·         A drying compartment,

·         1.8m x 3.6m, wrapped with plastic and bamboo frame (green house effect)

·         Heat bank as heat collector made of black & magnetic sand (margaha)

·         Cost: P9,000.00

·         Life Span: 2 years

 

OBSERVATIONS:

·   No fuel consumption, no fuel cost  
·    Prove the effectiveness of green house and convection current  
· Reduced drying period from 4-6 days in the open sun to 1 day in the drying facility 
·  Good quality of leaves as compared to leaves dried in the open 
· Explore bigger design for solar dryer

 3.   MEDYA TALYE 3 IN 1 DRYER:

·         Semi-concrete drying structure with corrugated galvanized iron as roofing and plywood as walling.

·         Metal heat exchanger

·         Multiple use : cooking, drying and smoking

·         Capacity: 600-700 leaves

·         Cost: P80,000.00

·         Life Span: 5 years

 4.   3 IN 1 SLAB DRYER

·         All concrete drying structure

·         metal heat exchanger

·         Multiple-use: cooking, drying and smoking

·         Capacity: 600-700 leaves

·         Cost: P150,000.00

·         Life Span of 15-20 years

 

 5.   3 IN 1 KITCHEN DRYER

·         All concrete drying structure.

·         Source of heat: solar heat bank and fuel stove

·         Multiple use : cooking, drying and smoking

·         Cost: P65,000.00

·         Life Span: 15-20 years

The table below shows the efficiency of the the drying technologies designed:

Dryer Type	Temp. Inside	Temp. Outside	Humidity Inside	Humidity Outside	Efficiency
Drum Type Dryer	41	30	45	47	3.77
Solar Dryer	39	37	48	48	3.14
Medya Talye 3 in 1 Dryer	40	29	52	57	3.59
Slab Type 3 in 1 Dryer	41	30	45	47	3.79

Of the five recommended, three drying technologies have already been tested in at least five coastal barangays in Bacon District, Sorsogon City. Coastal Core, however leave to the discretion of the basket weaver, individual or group weavers, the decision which type of drying technology would they adopt.

Coastal Core is a non-government organization based in Sorsogon City that work on resource management, public and policy advocacy, organizing and capacity building for fisher folks specifically on Community-Based Coastal Resource Management. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)