Solar food dehydrator  

Compas has completed the construction of a solar food dehydrator.  While the dehydrator can be used for fruits, vegetables and herbs, it will primarily be used to dry moringa leaves in order to make moringa leaf powder.  The leaves are being harvested by farmers who have received moringa trees as part of reforestation and food security project.   The sale of the leaf powder will help bring much needed income to farming families during the current political crisis in Nicaragua.  
The dehydrator works in a counter intuitive way.  It brings in cool air through the bottom of the solar heater, and as this air is heated it rises and enters into the top of the dehydrator.  It picks up moisture from the leaves (or fruit), becomes heavier, and drops through the dehydrator (and over the fruit and leaves).  There is a false wall and chimney at the bottom of the dehydrator and when the air reaches the bottom it is pulled up the chimney at out of the dehydrator.  It isn't the heat as much as the air movement which dries the leaves and fruit.  The advantage of this system is also that fruit and vegetables when in abundance, can be dried and stored to eat later.