An egglightened way to combat global food insecurity

Emily SinLorena GalvanEdward Silva

TFF Challenge 2013University of California, Davis

The ProblemHens are needy:

~12 hours of daylight per day for 15+ days are needed before they begin producing eggs!

Less daylight in the autumn and winter can leave hens unproductive for 4-6 months!!

...and poultry farmers and families with more food scarcity!

However, through consistent light exposure, farmers can keep chickens producing eggs year round by using...

The Solution

What is ?

A small, solar-powered LED that extends chickens' perceived length of day, and in turn stimulates year-round egg production!

Why ?● Brightness is optimal for chicken stimulation● Panel is weather proof

Renewable energy source and "smart" circuit board makes for easy use and maintenance

This light can benefit small scale farmers, the environment, and most importantly, food security.

By creating more food using renewable resources, we are helping achieve food security sustainably!

Poultry is the second most consumed livestock meat in the world!● Extremely low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions vs. other livestock.● An excellent, lean animal source of protein.● Scavenger eaters: lead to less harmful insects and healthier soils.● Rapid reproduction!

○ 21 days to go from "yolk" to a living breathing, chick.● Less land and feed use per pound of meat versus other livestock.● Very low cost of entry for small farmers!

Why chickens?

...And happily stimulated by light!

's flexibility allows adaptability to illuminate most any chicken housing operation, and its 1.5 year battery life speaks to its efficient energy use!

Colleagues at the UC Davis Program for International Energy Tech. have given us access to their fully built units for testing and modification to find the optimal solar-powered lighting solution for poultry.

Where?

Geographically, we are looking for areas which face larger variations in day-lengths and seasons.

Next Steps...

● Further develop our proof of concept and begin testing.● Conduct outreach to our networks for insight.● Become better oriented with large scale poultry operations.● Develop training curriculum for farmers/ distributors.● Partner with org. that deploy students for development work.● Develop metrics to display impact on achieving food security.

Larger goals...

Incite Social Change Increase opportunity for small scale chicken farmers, and in turn bring greater appreciation and value to their work.

Create Mass Awareness Demonstrate the value chickens have to globally pressing issues, and encourage well-integrated, conscious solutions to food security. Also, to become a hub to help spur innovative solutions in food security using poultry

Built to Last Sustain more consistent food production year round through easily maintained biological processes, to increase food and financial fluidity, and to do so in a manner that is timeless.

Disrupt the status quo Encourage more poultry consumption versus other more mainstream, larger livestock through a progressive, green solution using renewable energy in a way that should wow and shake people a bit.