Keeping farms alive on a budget

Mphatso presenting before crowd at google science fair. Photo: Mphatso Simbao

As Southern Africa struggles to recover from its worst drought in decades, farmers are seeing their crops destroyed due to El Nino weather changes. Famine afflicts millions of people. Without crops, farmers can’t eat. Without money, they can’t buy farming supplies.

Pedaling pods: bicycle bean thresher gets farmers to the fields then goes to work

Adam Lyman describes a machine he helped design to quickly thresh beans with pedal power.  The Michigan State University innovator explains what inspired the project, how it works and its potential impact.