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Improved cookstoves in MalawiPictures and Instructions from IFSP, Malawi1: Chitetezo mbaula (fired portable clay stove)  2: Portable stoves as a means of income  3: Fixed mud-stove (see the note about efficiency of mud stoves here)  4: Rest for firewood inside the fixed stove  5: Fixed stoves inside a new kitchen  6: Fixed stoves outside on a 'khonde'  7: Installed clay liner in a fixed stove with a food warmer (= fireless cooker)  8: Recycling of a broken portable stove by installing it as liner in a fixed stove  All pictures were taken by Christa Roth, Advisor for Food Processing and Biomass Energy Conservation in the Integrated Food Security Programme (IFSP), Mulanje, Malawi. The IFSP programme is commissioned by the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development and implemented by the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ). IFSP started 1996 and is operating currently in 185 villages in Mulanje District in south-eastern Malawi. Since June 1999 , it has been co-operating with ProBEC (Programme for Biomass Energy Conservation in Southern Africa). More than 15.000 stoves are in use in the Mulanje area. The stove design was advised by expertise from Tanzania and Kenya (e.g. ITDG Kisumu, Kenya). The training of producers and awareness campaigns were carried out mostly by the home economics of the Ministry of Agriculture. Some explanation to the photos: 1. The Mulanje-type of the portable stove was named 'Chitetezo mbaula', which in the vernacular language means 'the protecting stove'. The name was chosen by the women in Mulanje, as one of the biggest advantages they perceived is the improved safety of the stove as compared to the traditional three-stone-stove: they feel better protected themselves as their clothes are not so likely to catch fire and the risk for children getting burnt is reduced. The stove also 'protects' household budgets because it reduces the expenditure on firewood: Some stove users claim they can save up to 80% firewood, especially when using additional fuel material like pigeon pea stalks, maize husks and other residues, which don't burn well in the three-stone-stove but do well in the improved stove because of the higher heat developed inside. Participatory tests in public cooking demonstrations have given an average of ca. 60% saving of firewood for the improved stove as compared to the three-stones. Other advantages mentioned by the stove users are: Suffering from air pollution (smoke) is reduced as the portable stove can normally be used outside the house or kitchen, because in case of rains it can easily be shifted inside or under a shelter. Cleanliness is improved as ashes are neither blown around nor left on the ground after cooking. It is easy to produce even for unskilled people and the specifications for the stove are clear and easy to remember (for further details consult the page 'How to construct a portable stove' on this website). The stove can still be used to warm the house after cooking. An old woman said that for her it is easier with the stove as she can use small twigs and other residues, that she can collect herself and she does not have to carry bigger logs of firewood from the market. 2. Some of the voluntary stove promoters who normally help other fellow villagers to construct their own stove have spotted the stove production as income generating business. The project is trying to support those activities by facilitating access to further training on quality assurance in stove production, commercialisation and marketing as well as improving the production through the promotion of kilns for the firing of the stoves (there is a separate page on 'How to construct a kiln'). 3. - 6. Fixed stoves out of non-fired mud are an alternative especially in areas where no good pottery clay can be found. They have also an advantage for big families as they can be constructed in bigger dimensions to suit bigger pots. They are most suitable for indoor use where they don't get affected by rains. Still they are found even outside the houses on the verandas / khondes in households that can't afford a kitchen. A little 'firewood-rest' enhances oxygen-supply to the fire so that the wood burns better (photo 4). See the note about efficiency of mud stoves here. 7. An example of an 'integrated kitchen' with a stove (= fire cooker) and a food warmer (= fireless cooker). The food warmer consist of a hole the size of the cooking pot padded with insulation material (e.g. dry banana leaves etc.). Food that does not need to be stirred whilst cooking (e.g. beans, other legumes, rice, meat etc.) can be pre-cooked and the fire and then put into the food warmer to finish cooking. Rice can be boiled for 2 minutes only on the fire and then be left for another 30-40 minutes in the fireless cooker and it will be ready without using any further fuel (for detailed instructions on 'How to construct a food warmer' consult the page on this website). 8. The portable clay stoves tend to break just above the door. A good way of recycling the stove instead of discarding it is to install it as a liner in a fixed mud-stove. [top] [end]Related topics
[top] [end]External links and references[top] [end]ContributorsFor any further inquiries please don't hesitate to contact the authors. We are happy to share our experiences. Christa Roth and Christoph Messinger c/o Integrated Food Security Programme Mulanje P.O. Box 438 Mulanje (Malawi) Phone + 265 - 1- 466 279, Phone/Fax 466 435, cell +265- 8-860 936 email: messinger.roth@... Categories: Improved Stoves| Malawi | |
Page created:
17 November 2003; Last edited:
16 May 2007; Version: 2 | |
Pagename: ImprovedCookstovesInMalawi @HEDON: MHAA | |
