Fitotoldos

The problem

People in some parts of the world can’t grow vegetables like lettuce, celery, spinach, carrots or
onions. Why? Because it is very cold. Temperatures can be -5ºC.

Opportunity

The sun is really shinny for some hours during the day.

Innovation

Greenhouse are really fantastic. Generally, a greenhouse is a structure with walls and a glass roof.
But, a special greenhouse or “fitotoldos” is a structure with walls and plastic film also called
agrofilm.
The fitotoldo

This greenhouse is very basic and really inexpensive. It has 6 important requirements.

1. It needs to sit on a flat area

2. The sun needs to shine on it for at least 5 hours during the day

3. It needs to be near water supplies

4. The long side of the structure needs to face east and west.

5. The roof needs to face north

6. The door needs to be far from where the wind blows

Result

Families and communities in cold places can eat vegetables. There are “fitotoldos” in Puno,
Huánuco, Lambayeque ,Ancash, Apurimac, Huancavelica and many other regions in Peru. This
invention is great
Interview to Ruth Manzanares
Interview: Good morning listeners! Welcome to another chapter on our podcast “innovation
time”, the podcast about international inventors. Today, we have the honour of talking to
Ruth Manzanares. Welcome Ruth, nice to meet you!

Ruth: Good morning! Nice to meet you too.

Interview: Ruth, tell us a little bit about yourself

Ruth: well, my name is Ruth Manzanares Grados and I’m an inventor.

Interview: that’s so cool! So, tell us about your invention. What problem does it solve?

Ruth: The problem is that people use a lot of pens, and these pens are made of plastic. We
know that plastic waste is terrible for the environment.

Interview: So, your invention helps reduce plastic waste?

Ruth: That is right! Our invention is a pen made of organic material and it has one seed
inside.

Interview: A seed? So, you can plant your pen, and grow a plant from it?

Ruth: Yes! You can plant this pen in the ground and water it. And then, a plant starts to
grow

Interview: That is so creative! And it helps the environment. What is

the name of this invention?

Ruth: The name of this invention is titanium

Interview: That is amazing Ruth! Thank you for coming and sharing your invention:
Ruth: Thank you!