Full Belly Project: Difference between revisions

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The '''Full Belly Project''' Ltd is a [[non-profit]] organization based out of [[Wilmington, North Carolina]], which designs labor-saving devices to improve the lives of people in developing communities. It was founded by [[Jock Brandis]].<ref name=innovative>{{cite journal|title=Farmers introduced to innovative way of beating the drought|journal=[[The Gleaner]]|url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150821/farmers-introduced-innovative-way-beating-drought|date=19 August 2015}}</ref>

[[Image:RachelAndMachine.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Rachel and the Malian peanut sheller Uganda, 2005]]

Their main devices are the [[Universal Nut Sheller]] (UNS) and the Rocker Water Pump.

The first device they designed, the UNS, was a peanut sheller but farmers started using it for other crops. The UNS is now used for coffee, jatropha, neem, and shea in 35 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Since 2009, their research has been focused on designing a water pump. The dissolution of the organization happened in December 2020.<ref>{{cite news|title=After two decades, Wilmington's Full Belly Project closes up shop|date=12 January 2021|author=Ben Schactman|url=https://www.whqr.org/local/2021-01-12/after-two-decades-wilmingtons-full-belly-project-closes-up-shop|newspaper=WHQR}}</ref>

==Universal Nut Sheller==

The '''Full Belly Project''' Ltd is a [[non-profit]] organization based out of [[Wilmington, North Carolina]], which designs labor-saving devices to improve the lives of people in [[developing countries]]. At present one of their primary objectives is to increase the cost effectiveness of [[peanut]] agriculture as a means of [[sustainable development]] in those countries, through the development of affordable [[appropriate technology]] which they place in the [[public ___domain]]. There are an estimated half billion people across the globe in over 100 countries, primarily in the equatorial regions and particularly in Africa, dependent upon peanuts as a primary source of protein. Along with this there are a considerable number of side benefits to peanut production:

{{Main|Universal Nut Sheller}}

*[[Soil conservation]] (as [[legume]]s, peanuts [[nitrogen fixation|nitrify]] soil, while their complex root system prevents erosion);

The '''Full Belly Project''' Ltd is a [[non-profit]] organization based out of [[Wilmington, North Carolina]], which designs labor-saving devices to improve the lives of people in [[developing countries]]. At present one of theirTheir primary objectivesobjective iswas to increase the cost effectiveness of [[peanut]] agriculture as a means of [[sustainable development]] in those countries, through the development of affordable [[appropriate technology]] which they place in the [[public ___domain]]. There are an estimated half billion people across the globe in over 100 countries, primarily in the equatorial regions and particularly in Africa, dependent upon peanuts as atheir primary source of protein. Along with this there are a considerable number of side benefits to peanut production:

*Animal [[feedstock]] (peanut [[hay]], the upper portion of the peanut plant, can be feed to livestock);

*[[Fuel briquettes]] (compressed peanut [[hulls]]) ;

*Foodstuffs (shelled peanuts, peanut flour, [[peanut butter]]); and

*Increase in [[cash crops]] (peanuts themselves can be sold, but [[nitrification]] increases growth of other crops like [[maize]] and [[cotton]]).

The major [[limiting factor]] for growing peanuts has always been the time- and labor-intensive process of hand-shelling peanuts, a job usually relegated to women and children. Overcoming this technical obstacle has been a goal of agricultural research for some years. When Dr. T. Williams, Seniorsenior Researchresearch Scientistscientist at [[University of Georgia]] and an expert on all 15,000 [[cultivar]]s of peanuts, was first approached by [[Jock Brandis]], the project's engineer, he stated that an affordable peanut sheller is considered the "[[Holy Grail|holy grail]] of [[sustainable development]]". The final design for the machine was completed in January 2005, and has come to be known as the [[Malian peanut sheller]]. This relatively small, hand-powered device made from two pieces of [[concrete]] and a handful of metal pieces is able to shell at a rate of 50 kg of peanuts an hour. On average an individual woman or child can shell 1.5 kg of peanuts in a single hour. Furthermore, one set of fiberglass moulds at a cost of [[United States Dollar|$]]500 can reproduce an indefinite number of machines. Raw materials for the machine include only half a sack of [[concrete]] and a few metal parts, which cost less than $50 US per machine. Maintenance is nearly zero, and a machine's lifespan is estimated at twenty years.

==The Malian peanut sheller==

The major [[limiting factor]] for growing peanuts has always been the time- and labor-intensive process of hand-shelling peanuts, a job usually relegated to women and children. Overcoming this technical obstacle has been a goal of agricultural research for some years. When Dr. T. Williams, Senior Research Scientist at [[University of Georgia]] and an expert on all 15,000 [[cultivar]]s of peanuts, was first approached by [[Jock Brandis]], the project's engineer, he stated that an affordable peanut sheller is considered the "[[holy grail]] of [[sustainable development]]". The final design for the machine was completed in January 2005, and has come to be known as the [[Malian peanut sheller]]. This relatively small, hand-powered device made from two pieces of [[concrete]] and a handful of metal pieces is able to shell at a rate of 50 kg of peanuts an hour. On average an individual woman or child can shell 1.5 kg of peanuts in a single hour. Furthermore, one set of fiberglass moulds at a cost of [[United States Dollar|$]]500 can reproduce an indefinite number of machines. Raw materials for the machine include only half a sack of [[concrete]] and a few metal parts, which cost less than $50 US per machine. Maintenance is nearly zero, and a machine's lifespan is estimated at twenty years.

The final design for the machine was completed in January 2005, and has come to be known as the [[Universal Nut Sheller]]. This relatively small, hand-powered device made from two pieces of [[concrete]] and a handful of metal pieces is able to shell at a rate of 50&nbsp;kg of peanuts an hour. On average, an individual woman or child can hand shell 1.5&nbsp;kg of peanuts in a single hour. Furthermore, one set of [[fiberglass]] molds can reproduce an indefinite number of machines. Raw materials for the machine include only half a sack of [[concrete]] and a few metal parts, which cost less than $50 US per machine. Maintenance is nearly zero, and a machine's lifespan is estimated at twenty years.

Other versions of the UNS have been designed:

* An "electrical powered sheller" has been designed in 2008 after a request from an orphanage in [[Haiti]] and is also distributed in [[Guyana]].

* A "pedal powered sheller" was designed in 2009 to shell faster. It has been distributed in the [[Philippines]], in Guyana, and in [[Guatemala]].

==Soap for Hope==

In keeping with their mission of changing the world for the “bottom billion” through production of self-sustainable technologies, the Full Belly Project and partners at Diversey introduced the soap press in 2013. Known as Soap for Hope, this project reuses a portion the millions of pounds of soap that are thrown away annually by local hotels and resorts. The soap press allows communities to produce and distribute recycled soap products to fend off disease, promote better health, and generate income for impoverished communities around the world. The Full Belly Project developed a “soap press in a box” micro-factory to ship abroad for assembly, granting entrepreneurial opportunity to those with less access to proper sanitation and resources.

The soap press in now in 18 countries around the world providing over 41,000 people with soap.

==Distributing technology==

Presently, the organization is collaborating with like-minded development organizations in an effort to target areas most in need of this sustainable technology. Since finishing the final design of the MalianUniversal peanutNut shellerSheller, inThe JanuaryFull 2005,Belly theyProject havehas distributed machines in [[The Bahamas]], [[Uganda]], [[Liberia]], [[Côte d'Ivoire]], [[Ghana]],<ref>{{cite [[Zambia]] news|url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/229932/cri-launches-shea-nut-and the [[Philippines]]-ground-nut-sheller-machines.html|title=CRI Studieslaunches inshea thenut fieldand haveground shownnut thatsheller onemachines|date=28 machineJuly is2009|journal=[[ModernGhana]]}}</ref> capable[[Gambia]], of[[Zambia]], processingthe enoughPhilippines, peanutsHaiti, toGuyana, feedIndia, 1000[[Jamaica]],<ref people.name=innovative With/> a[[Kenya]], few[[Mali]], manual[[Nigeria]], adjustments[[Sudan]], the[[Democratic machine is also capableRepublic of shellingCongo]], [[winged beansSenegal]], Guatemala, [[neemTajikistan]] nuts (from neem trees, ''[[AzadirachtaSierra indicaLeone]]'', also known as [[margosaZimbabwe]]), and a variety of other nuts found[[Malawi]].<ref>{{cite throughout the worldweb|url=http://thefullbellyproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=56|title=The ResearchFull isBelly alsoProject going into creating another hand-powered machineFrequently forAsked makingQuestions|publisher=The freshFull [[soymilk]]Belly from [[soybeans]]Project|accessdate=2010-09-18|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904023506/http://thefullbellyproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=56|archivedate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

With a few manual adjustments the machine is also capable of shelling [[winged bean]]s, [[neem]] seeds (from neem trees, also known as [[margosa]]), [[jatropha curcas]], wet and dried [[coffee]], and [[shea tree|shea]]. All of these seeds/nuts are lucrative once they have been processed. Most cultivation of these crops occurs in developing countries. Machines like the [[Universal Nut Sheller]] add value to these crops and instantly improve the lives of those who use these labor-saving devices.

==Impact on women==

This technology is particularly empowering for women in that it relieves them of the burden of hand-shelling [[peanutsjatropha curcas]], [[shea tree|shea]], [[coffee]] and [[peanut]]s. Women provide the majority of agricultural labor, and with the time saved by this machine, would have the opportunity to dedicate themselves to other obligations. Collection of firewood, a chore often left to children, can be greatly reduced by the simple processing of shelled peanut hulls into fuel [[fuel briquettesbriquette]].

==Awards==

* MIT Ideas (2006)

* [[Popular Mechanics|Popular Mechanics Magazine]] – Breakthrough Award (2006)

* [[Carolina Challenge Cup|Carolina Challenge]] – Business Plan

* [[CNN Heroes]] – [[Jock Brandis]] (2008)

* [[The Tech Awards|Tech Awards Laureate]] (2008)

* Purpose Prize – [[Jock Brandis]] (2008)

==See also==

*[[MalianUniversal peanutNut shellerSheller]]

*[[Appropriate technology]]

*[[Peanut]]

*[[Jock Brandis]]

*[[Jatropha curcas]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.fullbellyprojectthefullbellyproject.org Full Belly Project Website]

*[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1565127948431227195&q=full+belly+project Video of MalaianUniversal PeanutNut Sheller in Uganda]

* [http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/winter10/efficiency.html]

*[http://www.peanutsheller.org PeanutSheller.org: Malian Peanut Sheller website]

*[http://www.fullbellyblog.blogspot.com Full Belly Blog]

*[http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Jock_Brandis:_engineering_the_end_of_hunger Jock Brandis: engineering the end of hunger]

*[http://www.wilmingtonbiz.net/opinion.html Greater Wilmington Business] editorial on the Full Belly Project

[[Category:AgricultureAgricultural organizations based in the United States]]

[[Category:AmericanCharities charitiesbased in North Carolina]]

[[Category:Appropriate technology organizations]]

[[Category:Development charities based in the United States]]

[[Category:Sustainable agriculture]]

[[Category:Peanut production]]