[Stoves] cook stoves for Cameroon

Huck Rorick huckrorick at groundwork.org
Mon Sep 15 22:37:33 CDT 2014


Hi Ron (and others),

 

Sorry it has taken me this long to get more info on our project onto our
website.  There is now a general description of the project at
http://www.groundwork.org/English/projects.html click on one Cameroon
Ultra-Low-Cost Housing.

Details of cooking habits, firewood and some local stoves are here
http://www.groundwork.org/English/Conditions%20in%20Besongabang.html click
on "Kitchens" or "Firewood" or "Locally made sawdust stoves" and also a
cooking video.

 

Short answers to your questions
First village we are working with is Besongabang, population 2500.  Later
with other villages.

The area is heavily forested.  Wood for construction is an important local
resource.  Almost everyone cooks with wood.  Firewood is pretty easy to come
by.  People mostly use larger sticks of wood 2-6" diameter.  See the above
link of firewood for more details.  An estimate of daily firewood
consumption per person is in the report.

Types of food are covered in 2 of the reports.  Mostly things are stewed in
a pot with liquid.

Things grow abundantly but other than that I don't have information on the
quality of soil.  I can provide information on types of crops as our
discussion progresses.

There is electricity in the town but it is very unreliable.

Income is $1.60-5.00/day for the whole family (not per person).

We are working with a local NGO (UAC-United Action for Children).  There are
some schools nearly.  UAC has established a vocational school.  It focuses
mainly on wood working and some crafts.

Local manufacturing seems the most desirable way to go but it is possible to
think of imports if the cost is low enough.

There are local craftspeople making sawdust stoves (see report) and metal
workers of various types.

 

We have 2 staff people on site in Besongabang.  They will be there for 1
year (part gone already).  We are teaching local counterparts.

 

Regarding preference between Rocket stoves and TLUD, we are open to both.

The Rocket stove seems to use fuel that is closer to what people
traditionally use and can be continuously fed to continue cooking or stop
cooking.

The gasifier, as I understand it, is more efficient and has lower emissions.

 

There are 2 criteria we have for stoves that most improved cook stoves I see
don't have:

1.       Chimneys to take smoke out of the kitchen.  Although some stoves
have low emissions we want almost none in the kitchen.

2.       We want counter height cook surfaces.  We are aware that most
people cook on 3 stone fires on the ground.  However, when given the
opportunity (for example with a kerosene stove) they put it on a counter
height surface.  Villagers we discussed this with like the idea.  However,
doing a demonstration and letting people try it out will be the real test.
In any event, this is one criteria for the stoves we want to start with.  We
are engaged in a process.

 

I will greatly appreciate your ideas.

 

Best regards,

 

Huck 

 

 

From: Ronal W. Larson [mailto:rongretlarson at comcast.net] 
Sent: Saturday, September 6, 2014 9:51 PM
To: Huck Rorick; Discussion of biomass
Subject: Re: [Stoves] cook stoves for Cameroon

 

Huck cc list

 

            Perhaps we can best start by your giving the specific Cameroon
town name, a little more on the environment (forests, pastures, population,
etc.), the types of education and skills available, income levels, whether
there are any other NGOs in the area, any connection to a University that
might help, etc.   How difficult to obtain wood?  Electricity in the town or
how far away?  Cost of wood and charcoal? Any measure of present wood
consumption for families of different sizes (per day)?  Types of food that
are favored?   Quality of the soil?  Types of crops?

 

            Are you thinking of local manufacture or hoping to find a low
cost alternative to sell?  What handicraft skills might there be now that
fit stoves ?  (ceramics?, bending metal? etc.)  

 

            Do you or could you have your staff there to oversee?

 

            Most of us on this list are working on either Rocket stoves or
TLUD stoves.  Any preference now?

 

            Have you wandered around the archives for this site, GACC,
Ethos, any companies (Stovetec,  Envirofit, etc)?

 

            Many more questions needed probably before we can give valid
guidance..

 

Ron

 

On Sep 6, 2014, at 12:36 PM, Huck Rorick <huckrorick at groundwork.org> wrote:





Hi All, 

 

I've been discussing improved wood stoves with Paul Anderson and he
suggested I join this discussion and introduce our group.  Our institute
(Groundwork Institute) is working on an ultra-low-cost housing program in
Cameroon.  One focus of our work where we expect to have a major impact is
in public health around clean water, sanitation and improved cook stoves. 

 

Where we are working wood is by far the predominant fuel for cooking.  The
average family cooks on a 3 stone fire in a tin shack kitchen with dirt
floor and no ventilation.  The kitchen is black and filled with smoke.  As I
am sure everyone in this discussion group is aware this smoke has a serious
health impact leading we are told to more deaths than malaria. 

 

We want to find stoves that will help us improve indoor air quality, outdoor
air quality, increase fuel efficiency and improve environmental impacts.  We
need help in finding the right stoves for our project.  It also looks like
we won't be able to find something "off the shelf" that perfectly fits our
conditions so it seems we will have to do some design and modify the stove
type that is closest to what we need.

 

Paul suggested I introduce our group before asking a lot of questions, so I
will stop here.  I look forward to participating in your discussions.  Any
initial comments or questions from you are welcome.

 

Best regards,

Huck Rorick

Executive Director
Groundwork Institute
2640 Silvercrest Street
Pinole, CA 94564
Phone: 510-222-4111
email:  <mailto:huckrorick at groundwork.org> huckrorick at groundwork.org
Website:  <http://www.groundwork.org/> www.groundwork.org

 

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