In rural Madagascar families cook outside of their homes on charcoal (or firewood) cooking stoves. Since cooking is essential, charcoal - which is bought in the local markets - is an inevitable expenditure for families. Given the average low level of household income, charcoal represents a significant share of household expenditures. At the same time, since charcoal is produced with local wood, charcoal production is a major cause for regional deforestation, particularly of mangroves (Jones et al. 2016). 

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For these reasons, we promote the adoption of the energy saving cookers produced in Madagascar by ADES, a Swiss NGO. These cookers reduce charcoal consumption by 65%, allowing families to significantly reduce their spending on charcoal and to pay more for other essentials like food, medicines or school fees. Moreover, reducing charcoal consumption in the area has a beneficial impact on the environment by decreasing the need to produce charcoal. In other words, the energy efficient cookers kill two birds with one stone: alleviating poverty and slowing down local mangroves deforestation.

 

Since school canteens make a large use of charcoal and firewood, Boky Mamiko provides energy saving cookers to schools, allowing them to make a significant financial saving on charcoal consumption and at the same time reducing local charcoal production and mangroves deforestation.