CARDAMOM
PROCESSING
Introduction
Cardamom is a valuable spice that is obtained from the seeds
of a perennial plant (Elettaria cardamomum). Cardamom
originates from the coastal area of India. It is now grown in
Guatemala, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Vietnam, Laos
and Cambodia. India is the main exporter of dried cardamom.
Cardamom must be dried before it is stored and sold for
market. This brief outlines the important steps that should be
taken pre-harvest and post-harvest to ensure that the dried
cardamom is of top quality for the market.
Types of cardamom
Figure 1: Small green cardamom
(Eletteria cardamomum).
Photo credit: Neil Noble / Practical
Action.
There are two main types of cardamom:
Small green cardamom (Eletteria cardamomum)
Large red/black cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb)
The most common type is the small green cardamom while large cardamom is mainly grown in
India, with some in Nepal and Bhutan. They both come from the Zingiberaceae family of plants.
Cardamom production
The Cardamom bush grows to a height of about 3m. It grows best in a warm humid place where
there is plenty of rain and rich soil. It can grow at altitudes up to 1370m above sea level. The
bush requires shade and is usually grown under natural forest cover. The tree produces flowers
after it is 2-3 years old. The first crop of seed capsules is harvested in the third year after
planting. In India, the tree flowers in April/May and continues until July/August. The seed
capsules are harvested at 30 to 40 day intervals.
Harvesting
Harvesting at the correct stage of maturity is essential to produce high quality cardamom
capsules. The fruits should only be harvested once they are fully ripe and mature. In some
places, farmers harvest the crop before it is fully ripe because they worry that it will be taken by
thieves. If the crop is picked when it is mature, the higher yields and higher value of the final
product may offset the losses due to theft. A ripe capsule has black seeds inside. An immature
capsule has white seeds.
When a cardamom capsule is ripe it can be easily removed from the stem of the plant without
too much force. The harvester should start harvesting at the base of each stem and move up the
stem, taking off any capsules that easily fall off without pulling. The capsules that do not fall off
easily should be left on the plant to ripen.
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Cardamom processing
Practical Action
Cleaning
The crop should be cleaned before processing. The first stage is to remove dust and dirt using a
winnowing basket. This can be made locally from bamboo, palm or other leaves. A worker who is
used to doing this can clean up to 100kg of cardamom in an eight hour day. Small machines
are available for cleaning, but they are often not cost effective.
After winnowing the capsules are washed in clean water. Two or three large plastic buckets (15
litre capacity) are sufficient for small amounts but for large quantities, it may be better to use a
sink with a drainage hole. Only water that is safe to drink should be used. It should be changed
regularly to prevent contamination.
Pre-treatment
After washing, the stalks are removed from the cardamom capsules by hand.
The capsules can be soaked in a solution of sodium bicarbonate (2-5%) for ten minutes to help
retain the green colour. This is an optional step. A 2% solution of sodium bicarbonate is
prepared by dissolving 20g (about 4 tea spoons) of sodium bicarbonate in 1 litre of water.
Drying
This is the most important part of the process as it affects the quality of the final product. It is
important to dry the cardamom capsules as soon after harvest as possible to prevent the loss of
flavour. It is also important that the drying process is as short as possible so that mould does
not grow on the capsules and the bright green colour is retained. The drying temperature should
not be above 50C as this affects the colour and delicate flavour of the final product. In most
places, cardamom capsules with a good green colour can be sold for a premium price.
The moisture content of a fresh cardamom capsule is about 85%. This needs to be reduced to
10% in the dried product so the cardamom capsules can be stored. If the drying period is too
long mould can start to grow on the cardamom. There are several options available to the smallscale processor, depending upon the size of the business and the local weather conditions at the
time of processing. Each method has different advantages and disadvantages:
Sun drying. Traditionally, cardamom capsules are spread on a concrete floor to dry using the
natural heat from the sun. The capsules should be placed away from direct sunlight to preserve
the green colour (strong sunlight will make the colour fade). This is the simplest and cheapest
method, but does not produce the highest quality product. It is only successful in places where
the climate is dry and hot. During the monsoon season for example, drying will be interrupted by
rainfall which can cause mould to grow on the capsules. During drying, the capsules may be
contaminated by dirt and dust from their surroundings.
Solar drying. The use of a solar dryer should improve the quality of the dried capsules as it is a
cleaner, more controlled environment. However, it is not a popular choice as the green colour is
lost during drying. The solar dryer is really only useful in dry hot sunny climates. The capsules
should be placed in the dryer, out of direct sunlight, and dried until they have a final moisture
content of 10%. In places with high humidity the solar dryer can only be used together with an
extractor fan to remove the humid air.
Wood-fired dryer. In India, cardamom
capsules are traditionally dried in curing
houses, using wood to provide the heat. This
method puts a huge demand on firewood.
The smoke from the fire can give the
capsules an unpleasant smoked flavour. The
processor must ensure that the capsules
closest to the heat source are not burnt or
scorched. Cardamom capsules dried by this
method are not of the highest quality.
Figure 2: A typical tray dryer
2
Cardamom processing
Practical Action
Electric or gas dryer. An electric or gas-fired dryer is an improvement over the use of a woodfuelled fire and is the best choice for drying large quantities of cardamom, especially in places
where there is rainfall during the drying season.
It is the most expensive of all options but does
produce the highest quality product. It is
important that the drying temperature does not
exceed 50C. A range of dryers of different
sizes are available depending upon the
individual choice and budget. Figure 2 shows a
typical tray dryer.
Humidity-controlled drying. A drying chamber
has been developed that helps to reduce colour
loss and to produce high quality pods. The
cardamom capsules are placed in the drying
chamber, which is at a temperature of 50C.
During the first two hours of drying, the humidity
builds up within the chamber. This allows the
cardamoms to cook and at the same time
destroys the enzymes that break down the
chlorophyll (chlorophyll gives the pods their
green colour). No light is allowed into the drying
chamber. After two hours the humid air is blown
out of the chamber and the humidity reduced.
The capsules are left in the chamber to dry until
they have a final moisture content of 10%.
Figure 3 shows a traditional drying chamber.
Figure 3: A traditional drying chamber
The use of biomass gasifiers
Electricity and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are clean and convenient fuels for drying, but are
not cheap or easily available in villages. Firewood, stubble and dry leaves are readily available in
villages, but they are smoky and can contaminate the dried product. A gasifier is a device that
has been developed by TERI (The Tata Energy Research Institute in India) for use in the drying
of cardamom. The gasifier uses briquettes that are made from firewood and other types of
biomass and turns them into a gas that burns with a clean smokeless flame. The main
advantages of using a gasifier is that it is more efficient in terms of the amount of fuel used.
Biomass that burns in an open fire loses about two thirds of its energy as smoke. This system
therefore uses less fuel and produces a higher quality dried cardamom. The gasifier for drying
cardamom, developed by TERI, can be made locally using recycled oil drums. For more
information contact TERI ([Link]).
Grading
Cardamom is graded by colour and size. The deeper the green colour and the larger the capsule
size, the higher the grade. All grading is done by hand.
The Indian grading system for cardamom capsules separates them into different types:
Alleppey Green Cardamom
Coorg Green Cardamom
Bleached or Half-bleached Cardamom
Bleached White Cardamom
Mixed Cardamom
Cardamom processing
Practical Action
Agmark Schedule I for Alleppey Green Cardamom
Grade
Trade
name
Colour
AGEB
Cardamo
m extra
bold
AGB
Cardamo
m bold
Cardamo
m superior
Shipment
green-1
Shipment
green-2
Light
Deep
green
or light
green
As
above
As
above
As
above
As
above
-
AGS
AGS-1
AGS-2
AGL
AGN
Empty
and
malforme
d
capsules
(%)
2.0
Immature
and
shrivelled
capsules
(%)
Blacks
and
splits
(%)
Size
(diameter
of sieve
hole mm)
Weigh
t (G/L)
General
characteristics
2.0
0.0
7.0
435
2.0
2.0
0.0
6.0
415
3.0
5.0
0.0
5.0
385
5.0
7.0
10.0
4.0
350
7.0
9.0
12.0
4.0
320
15.0
-
3.5
-
260
-
Cardamoms are
the dried
capsules of
Elletaria grown in
South India. The
capsules have 3
corners and a
ribbed
appearance.
The capsules are
free of insect
damage and
visible mould.
Thrip marks on
the capsules do
not mean the
capsules are
infested with
insects.
Definition of terms
1. Empty and malformed capsules: Capsules which have no seeds or are scanty filled with
seeds. To measure this, 100 capsules are selected at random from the sample, opened
and the number of empty and malformed capsules are counted.
2. Immature and shrivelled capsules: Capsules which are not fully developed.
3. Black and splits: The former includes capsules that have a visible blackish colour and
the latter include those which are open at the corners for more than half the length.
4. Colour: Cardamom are packed separately according to the colour: deep green, green,
light green and pale brownish. If 95% of the cardamoms correspond to one of the
colour groups, the relevant colour of the cardamom should be indicated on the Agmark
labels. When the cardamoms are not of any one uniform colour, the colour is not
indicated on the label.
5. AGN: Cardamom that does not conform to any of the grades from AGEB to AGL is
packaged under the grade AGN (Non-specified)
Agmark Schedule II for Coorg Green Cardamom
Grade
Trade
name
Empty and
malformed
capsules
(%)
Unclippe
d
capsules
(%)
CGEB
Extra
bold
Bold
Superior
Coorg
green or
Motta
green
Shipmen
t
Light
0.0
CGB
CG1
CG2
CG3
CG4
CGN
Blacks
and
splits
(%)
Size
(diameter
of sieve
hole mm)
Weight
(G/L)
General
characteristics
0.0
Immature
and
shrivelled
capsules
(%)
0.0
0.0
8.0
450
2.0
3.0
5.0
0.0
0.0
3.0
3.0
5.0
10.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
7.5
6.5
6.0
435
415
385
10.0
5.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
350
15.0
-
3.5
-
280
-
Cardamoms are
the dried
capsules of
Elletaria grown in
South India.
Colour range
from greenish to
brown. Global
shape, skin
ribbed or smooth,
pedicels
[Link]
capsules have 3
corners and a
ribbed
Cardamom processing
Practical Action
appearance.
The capsules are
free of insect
damage and
visible mould.
Thrip marks on
the capsules do
not mean the
capsules are
infested with
insects.
Definition of terms
1. Empty and malformed capsules: Capsules which have no seeds or are scanty filled with
seeds. To measure this, 100 capsules are selected at random from the sample, opened
and the number of empty and malformed capsules are counted.
2. Immature and shrivelled capsules: Capsules which are not fully developed.
3. Black and splits: The former includes capsules that have a visible blackish colour and
the latter include those which are open at the corners for more than half the length.
4. Unclipped capsules: Capsules in which the tips have not been trimmed.
5. CGN: Cardamom that does not conform to any of the grades from CGEB to CG4 is
packaged under the grade CGN (Non-specified).
6. Coorg cardamom is segregated according to colour: 1 golden to light cream; 2 cream;
3 light green to green; 4 brownish. Where the cardamom are of no uniform colour,
there is no mention of colour on the label.
Agmark Schedule III for bleached or half bleached cardamom
Grade
Empty and
malformed
capsules (%)
Size (diameter
of sieve hole)
(mm)
Weigh
t (G/L)
General characteristics
0.0
Immature
and
shrivelled
capsules (%)
0.0
BL1
BL2
BL3
BL Non
specified
8.50
340
0.0
0.0
10.0
0.0
0.0
15.0
7.00
5.00
5.0
340
300
The cardamom is fully
developed, dried capsules of
Elleteria cardamom,
bleached and/or half
bleached by sulphuring.
Colour ranging from pale
cream to white. Global or
three cornered with skin
ribbed or smooth.
The capsules are free of
insect infestation and
visible mould.
Thrip marks on the capsules
do not lead to the
conclusion that the capsules
are infested with insects.
Definition of terms
1. Empty and malformed capsules: Capsules which have no seeds or are scanty filled with
seeds. To measure this, 100 capsules are selected at random from the sample, opened
and the number of empty and malformed capsules are counted.
2. Immature and shrivelled capsules: Capsules which are not fully developed.
3. BL Non-specified: Cardamom that does not conform to grades BL1 to BL3 is packed
under the grade BLN.
4. Cardamom are packed separately according to whether they are fully bleached or half
bleached. In the latter case the colour of the capsules may be indicated at the request
of the packer; 1- pale creamy; 2 dull white.
5. The word special can be affixed to grades BL1 and BL2 if at least 95% f the capsules do
not have thrip marks over 50% of their body surface.
Cardamom processing
Practical Action
Agmark Schedule IV for Bleached White Cardamom
Grade
Trade name
Empty and
malformed
capsules
(%)
BW1
Mysore/Mangalore
bleachable
cardamom clipped
Mysore/Mangalore
bleachable
cardamom
unclipped
Mysore/Mangalore
bleachable bulk
cardamom clipped
Mysore/Mangalore
bleachable bulk
cardamom
unclipped
BW2
BW3
BW4
Size
(diameter
of sieve
hole mm)
Weight
(G/L)
General
characteristics
1.0
Immature
and
shrivelled
capsules
(%)
0.0
7.0
460
1.0
0.0
7.0
460
2.0
0.0
4.3
435
The cardamom is fully
developed, dried
capsules of Elleteria
cardamom grown in
Karnataka State.
Reasonable uniform
shade of white, light
green or light grey
colour and suitable for
bleaching.
The capsules are free
from insect infestation
and visible mould.
Thrip marks alone do
not lead to the
conclusion that the
capsules have been
infested with insects.
BW Non
specifie
d
Definition of terms
1. Empty and malformed capsules: Capsules which have no seeds or are scanty filled with
seeds. To measure this, 100 capsules are selected at random from the sample, opened
and the number of empty and malformed capsules are counted.
2. Immature and shrivelled capsules: Capsules which are not fully developed.
3. BW Non-specified: Cardamom that does not conform to any of the grades from BW1 to
BW4 are packed under the grade BW Non-specified.
Agmark Schedule V for Mixed Cardamom
Grade
Trade
name
Empty and
malformed
capsules
(%)
MEB
Mixed
Extra
Bold
Mixed
Bold
Mixed
Superior
Mixed
Shipmen
t1
Mixed
Shipmen
t2
Mixed
Light
MB
MS
MS1
MS2
ML
Blacks
and
splits
(%)
Size
(diameter
of sieve
hole mm)
Weight
(G/L)
General characteristics
2.0
Immature
and
shrivelled
capsules
(%)
2.0
0.0
7.0
435
2.0
2.0
0.0
6.0
415
3.0
5.0
0.0
5.0
385
5.0
7.0
10.0
4.0
350
7.0
9.0
12.0
4.0
320
15.0
3.5
260
The cardamom is fully
developed, dried capsules of
Elleteria cardamom grown in
Karnataka State. Reasonable
uniform shade of white, light
green or light grey colour and
suitable for bleaching.
The capsules are free from
insect infestation and visible
mould.
Thrip marks alone do not lead
to the conclusion that the
capsules have been infested
with insects.
MN
Definition of terms
1. Empty and malformed capsules: Capsules which have no seeds or are scanty filled with
seeds. To measure this, 100 capsules are selected at random from the sample, opened
and the number of empty and malformed capsules are counted.
2. Immature and shrivelled capsules: Capsules which are not fully developed.
3. Black and splits: The former includes capsules that have a visible blackish colour and
the latter include those which are open at the corners for more than half the length.
6
Cardamom processing
Practical Action
4. A tolerance of 5% of the next lower size is permissible.
5. MN: Cardamom that does not conform to any of the grades from MEB to ML is packaged
under the grade MN (Non-specified).
Grinding
Cardamom capsules are usually sold whole. Grinding can be a method of adding value to a
product. However, it is not advisable to grind spices. After grinding, spices are more vulnerable
to spoilage. The flavour and aroma compounds are not stable and will quickly disappear from
ground products. The storage life of ground spices is much less than for the whole spices. It is
very difficult for the consumer to judge the quality of a ground spice. It is also very easy for
unscrupulous processors to contaminate the ground spice by adding other material. Therefore
most consumers, from wholesalers to individual customers, prefer to buy whole spices.
Packaging
Cardamom capsules can be packaged in polythene bags of various sizes according to the market
demand. The bags should be sealed to prevent moisture entering. Sealing machines can be used
to seal the bags. Attractive labels should be applied to the products. The label needs to contain
all relevant product and legal information the name of the product, brand name (if
appropriate), details of the manufacturer (name and address), date of manufacture, expiry date,
weight of the contents, added ingredients (if relevant) plus any other information that the
country of origin and of import may require (a barcode, producer code and packer code are all
extra information that is required in some countries to help trace the product back to its origin).
See the Practical Action Technical Brief on labelling for further information on labelling
requirements.
Storage
Dried cardamom capsules must be stored in moisture-proof containers away from direct sunlight.
For long term bulk storage, polythene-lined gunny bags (strong sacks made from jute fibres)
inside wooden boxes are used. The polythene bags help to preserve the green colour of the pods.
It is essential that the capsules are fully dry before they are placed in the gunny bags for
storage. Any moisture within the bags will cause the capsules to rot. The stored cardamoms
should be inspected regularly for signs of spoilage or moisture. If they have absorbed moisture,
they should be re-dried to a moisture content of 10%.
The storage room should be clean, dry, cool and free from pests. Mosquito netting should be
fitted on the windows to prevent pests and insects from entering the room. Strong smelling
foods, detergents and paints should not be stored in the same room as they will spoil the
delicate aroma and flavour of the cardamom.
Standards
Moisture (%)
Volatile oil (%)
Extraneous matter (% by weight)
Mould (% by weight)
Equipment suppliers
US Government requirements and
ASTA
<11.0
<3.0
0.5
1.0
British Standard
<13.0
<4.0
This is a selective list of suppliers of equipment and does not imply endorsement by Practical
Action.
Cardamom processing
Practical Action
Dryers
Acufil Machines
S. F. No. 120/2, Kalapatty Post Office
Coimbatore - 641 035
Tamil Nadu
India
Tel: +91 422 2666108/2669909
Fax: +91 422 2666255
Email: acufilmachines@[Link]
acufilmachines@[Link]
[Link]
products
Bombay Engineering Works
1 Navyug Industrial Estate
185 Tokersey Jivraj Road
Opposite Swan Mill, Sewree (W)
Mumbai 400015
India
Tel: +91 22 24137094/24135959
Fax: +91 22 24135828
bomeng@[Link]
[Link]
Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt Ltd
21C Sector 18
Gurgaon 122015
India
Tel: +91 124 4091111
Fax: +91 124 4091100
enquire@[Link]
[Link]
Premium Engineers Pvt Ltd
Plot No 2009, Phase IV, GIDC
Vatva, Ahmedabad 382445
India
Tel: +91 79 25830836
Fax: +91 79 25830965
Rank and Company
A-p6/3, Wazirpur Industrial Estate
Delhi 110 052
India
Tel: +91 11 7456101/ 27456102
Fax: +91 11 7234126/7433905
Rank@[Link]
Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI)
Darbari Seth Block
IHC Complex, Lodhi Road
New Delhi
India
Tel: +91 11 2468 2100/ 4150 4900
Fax: +91 11 2468 2144/ 2468 2145
mailbox@[Link]
[Link]/tech_cardamom.php
Bry-Air China
No 951-F Jian Chuan Road
Minhang District
Shanghai 200240
P R of China
Tel: +86 21 51591555
Fax: +86 21 51591559
bryairc@[Link]; bryair@[Link]
[Link]
Bry-Air (Korea)
202 2F DH Building, 174-2 Songpa-dong
Songpa-gu
Seoul, Korea
Tel: +82 2 414 0629
Fax: +82 2 417 2622
drikorea@[Link]
[Link]
Bry-Air (Malaysia)
Sdn Bhd (197712-W)
Lot 11, Jalan P/7, Bangi Industrial Estate
43650 Bandar Baru Bangi
Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: 603 89256622
Fax: 603 89259957
bryair@[Link]
[Link]
Bry-Air (Thailand)
448 Richie Tower, 2nd Floor
Ratchadaphisek Road
Samsennai Huayekhwang
Bangkok 10320
Thailand
Tel: +66 2 5415479, 9389304
Fax: +66 2 9389314
info@[Link]
[Link]
Industrias Technologicas Dinamicas SA
Av. Los Platinos 228
URB industrial Infantas
Los Olivios
Lima
Peru
Tel: +51 14 528 9731
Fax: +51 14 528 1579
Cardamom processing
Bry-Air (Africa)
Lower Ground Floor
Lakeside Place
1 Ernest oppenheimer Drive
Bruma-2198, Bedfordview
Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 6150458
Fax: +27 11 6166485
bryairafrica@[Link];
Ashoka Industries
Kirama
Walgammulla
Sri Lanka
+94 71 764725
Kundasala Engineers
Digana Road
Kundasala, Kandy
Sri Lanka
Tel: +94 8 420482
Practical Action
Alvan Blanch
Chelworth, Malmesbury
Wiltshire
SN16 9SG
UK
Tel: +44 1666 577333
Fax: +44 1666 577339
enquiries@[Link]
[Link]
Mitchell Dryers Ltd
Denton Holme, Carlisle
Cumbria
CA2 5DU
UK
Tel: +44 1228 534433
Fax: +44 1228 633555
webinfo@[Link]
[Link]
Packaging and labelling machines
Acufil Machines
India (See above)
Gardners Corporation
158 Golf Links
New Delhi 110003
India
Tel: +91 11 3344287/3363640
Fax: +91 11 3717179
Orbit Equipments Pvt Ltd
175 - B, Plassy Lane
Bowenpally
Secunderabad - 500011, Andhra Pradesh
India
Tel: +91 40 32504222
Fax: +91 40 27742638
Website: [Link]
Gurdeep Packaging Machines
Harichand Mill compound
LBS Marg, Vikhroli
Mumbai 400 079
India
Tel: +91 22 2578 3521/577 5846/579
5982
Fax: +91 22 2577 2846
Pharmaco Machines
Unit No. 4, [Link].25 A
Opp Savali Dhaba, [Link]-Max
Nanded Phata, Off Sinhagad Rd.
Pune 411041
India
Tel: +91 20 65706009
Fax: +91 20 24393377
MMM Buxabhoy & Co
140 Sarang Street
1st Floor, Near Crawford Market
Mumbai
India
Tel: +91 22 2344 2902
Fax: +91 22 2345 2532
yusufs@[Link]; mmmb@[Link];
yusuf@[Link]
Rank and Company
India (see above)
Narangs Corporation
India
P-25 Connaught Place
New Delhi 110 001
India
Tel: +91 11 2336 3547
Fax: +91 11 2374 6705
9
Banyong Engineering
94 Moo 4 Sukhaphibaon No 2 Rd
Industrial Estate Bangchan
Bankapi
Thailand
Tel: +66 2 5179215-9
Alvan Blanch
UK (see above)
Technology and Equipment Development
Cardamom processing
Centre (LIDUTA)
360 Bis Ben Van Don St
District 4
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Tel: +84 8 940 0906
Fax: +84 8 940 0906
Practical Action
John Kojo Arthur
University of Science and Technology
Kumasi
Ghana
Contacts
The following contacts should be able to provide further information:
Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI)
Darbari Seth Block
IHC Complex, Lodhi Road
New Delhi
India
Tel: +91 11 2468 2100/ 4150 4900
Fax: +91 11 2468 2144/ 2468 2145
mailbox@[Link]
[Link]/tech_cardamom.php
Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR)
Marikunnu PO, Calicut
Kerala
India 673012
Tel: +91 495 2731346
+91 495 2730294
parthasarathy@[Link]; rdinesh@[Link]
[Link]
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
Powai
Mumbai 400076
India
Tel: +91 22 2572 2545
Fax: +91 22 2572 3480
[Link]
Further reading
Practical Action Technical Brief Drying of Foods
Practical Action Technical Brief Spice processing
Practical Action Technical Brief Food Labelling
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Cardamom processing
Practical Action
This document was produced by Dr. S Azam Ali for Practical Action March 2007.
Dr. S Azam-Ali is a consultant in food processing and nutrition with over 15 years
experience of working with small-scale processors in developing countries.
Practical Action
The Schumacher Centre
Bourton-on-Dunsmore
Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 9QZ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1926 634400
Fax: +44 (0)1926 634401
E-mail: inforserv@[Link]
Website: [Link]
Practical Action is a development charity with a difference. We know the simplest ideas can have the
most profound, life-changing effect on poor people across the world. For over 40 years, we have been
working closely with some of the worlds poorest people - using simple technology to fight poverty and
transform their lives for the better. We currently work in 15 countries in Africa, South Asia and Latin
America.
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