It began, over a decade ago, as an innovation that would create employment and feed thousands of underprivileged. Today, it is struggling to help even the 10 women who are neck deep into the effort.
The All India Women's Conference (AIWC) had adopted the ‘solar air dryer' in 2002 to empower needy women by securing for them jobs in the food processing industry. The initiative was one where the women would produce ‘solar dried' vegetables and fruits that could be readily used in various food preparations.
These products were then to be sold in bulk to organisations that would market and sell them. An alternate model was also envisaged where the products would be sold at their cost price to other poor women, who could in turn sell them at a higher price.
“We had succeeded in acquiring one ‘solar air dryer' from the Society for Energy, Environment and Development (SEED) 10 years ago with a loan from the Asian Development Bank. Today, we still have only that machine which can produce limited quantities of food products,” says Farida Hussain (040-23550399), vice president, AIWC, Hyderabad Chapter.
“Each dryer costs Rs.1 lakh and we are unable to find anyone who can fund the procurement of more such machines,” she added. Despite burgeoning demand for most sun-dried products produced by the women like whole wheat pasta, masala powder, dried tomatoes, onions, bitter guard and curry leaves, the small quantities produced makes it impossible to sell them at a profit, Ms. Hussain explained.
Even with organisations like the Heritage Foods coming forward to buy their products, the AIWC has been unable to produce the demanded quantity. No more than four women are engaged today in the production process of that little quantity which finds its way to a limited populace.
The presence of more such solar air dryers would help provide employment to several other women while producing larger quantities, which could in turn be sold at a greater profit margin, committee members said.
But cumbersome formalities of government departments and reluctance to provide any funds have made this effort stagnate, they added.
