MIT D-Lab Design Review + Dinner: Off-Grid Brooder for Cameroonian Chick Farmers

Students from the D-Lab class Applications of Energy in Global Development with mentors and community partners from DAS-BC (African Diaspora Council of Switzerland) in Cameroon standing by their first low-cost brooder box and one load of beeswax thermal batteries. From left to right: Megan Harvey '25, Tyler Ea '25, Kristine Januskaite (trip leader), Ahmad Zakka SM'23 (trip leader), Carole Erlemann Mengue (founder of CDAS-BC), Kathrin Witschi (founder of CDAS-BC), and an intern.
Students from the D-Lab class Applications of Energy in Global Development with mentors and community partners from DAS-BC (African Diaspora Council of Switzerland) in Cameroon standing by their first low-cost brooder box and one load of beeswax thermal batteries. From left to right: Megan Harvey '25, Tyler Ea '25, Kristine Januskaite (trip leader), Ahmad Zakka SM'23 (trip leader), Carole Erlemann Mengue (founder of CDAS-BC), Kathrin Witschi (founder of CDAS-BC), and an intern.
MIT D-Lab

Thursday, March 21, 6-7:30 PM at MIT D-Lab

MIT N51-310, 265 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd Floor Directions

Or via Zoom here.

REGISTER


Overview

Join recent MIT D-Lab alumni Ahmad Zakka, Josh Maldonado, and Aly Kombargi to learn about the design evolution of the Off-Grid Brooder at D-Lab and with community partners in Cameroon, current limitations, and potential pathways for dissemination at scale. Discussion with the attendees following the presentation - the team is seeking your questions, comments, and ideas!

Light dinner will be provided. Bring your own water bottle!

The challenge

Poultry is an inexpensive protein source that contributes to reducing malnutrition and generating income in rural communities. About 70% of the world’s estimated 16 billion poultry are in lower- and middle-income countries where demand is expected to double in the next 20 years. Newly hatched chicks cannot control their body temperature in the first few weeks of life, so a heated enclosure is used to keep chicks warm. Small poultry farmers in lower- and middle-income countries rely largely on firewood to supply heat in the brooder, along with continuous supervision and tending.

The solution

Developed over the course of two and a half years through research and teams in the D-Lab classes Introduction to Energy in Global Development and Applications of Energy in Global Development in collaboration with partner organizations in Cameroon, the Off-Grid Brooder aims to provide an inexpensive and safe technology to reduce economic risk and improve outcomes for small poultry farmers.

This event is funded in part by generous support from the MIT Morningside Academy for Design.


REGISTER

Contact

Dan Sweeney, MIT D-Lab Research Scientist, Biomass Fuels and Cookstoves Lead

Nancy Adams, MIT D-Lab Communications Officer