Project Detail

Introducing fuel briquettes, fuel efficient stoves and alternative fish smoking technologies to Fishing Villages in The Gambia to tackle environmental challenges and improve livelihoods.

The project aims to tackle deforestation, loss of biodiversity and climate change, whilst improving livelihoods directly through protection of natural resources, emission reduction, saving of household finances and income generation.
Specific Objective:
I. Awareness creation and sensitisation on the alarming environmental situation and the meaning for livelihoods in future.
II. Introduction and demonstration of groundnut shell briquettes and fuel efficient stoves as mitigation measure.
III. Improve access to groundnut shell briquettes and fuel efficient stoves to the communities.
IV. Research and implement improved technologies for current bulk fuel wood users (especially fish smokers) to be able to use groundnut shell briquettes.
V. Hands on enhancement of organizational skills of community members through participatory project implementation with special focus on women needs and empowerment.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Green Tech Vision

Country:

Gambia

Area Of Work:

Land Degradation

Operational Phase:

OP5-Y3 (Jul 13 - Jun 14)

Grant Amount:

US$ 40,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 52,127.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 30,000.00

Project Number:

GMB/SGP/OP5/Y3/STAR/LD/13/05

Start Date:

8/2013

End Date:

7/2014

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Project sustainability

A major focus of the project is to provide structures so the communities can continue to implement the activities independently long after the project ends. It is projected that the economic benefits of this project, will be a big motivating factor for keeping the activities going even after the project ends. The trained local welders will continue to produce and market the stoves and the this will continue to generate income for them. The households using the stoves and briquettes will realize how much they save in the long term and thus will continue to use the stoves as well as serve as reference for others not yet using the stoves. The drama groups and traditional communicators will continue to use the knowledge gained to sensitize and entertain the communities beyond the project time; keeping the message alive. The trees planted will remain in the community and serve as global carbon sinks.

Capacity - Building Component

About 30 people from various welder workshops were trained on the production of the energy efficient stoves as well as marketing strategies for the stoves. 12 coregroup members and other community representatives from each of the beneficiary communities received training on sales and micro credit schemes as well as coaching on committee strengthening techniques and conflict resolution. Members of drama groups and traditional communicators received training on the value of fuel briquettes and fuel efficient stoves. The participants are expected to disseminate the knowledge gained to the community through their songs and drama. This will continue even after the project ends and is projected to solidify the gains made during project implementation.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

It is projected that households will save up to 50% on cooking fuel if they use the energy efficient stove and fuel briquettes.. The income saved can be invested into other areas of need for the families. The local welders trained on the production of the stoves now have an added skill as a source of livelihood and these skills can easily be transferred to others for a multiplier effect in the community. A micro finance scheme is also initiated by the project to keep a revolving fund where the community members can borrow funds to start small businesses.

Notable Community Participation

The project engaged a very broad spectrum of stakeholders including: local authorities, Department of Fisheries, Forestry, Women's Bureau, school environment clubs, mothers clubs, skill centers and bulk wood fuel users such as fish smokers, restaurants, bakeries and schools cafeterias. The idea is to engage the communities so they take ownership of the project from the onset to maximize the chances of successful implementation. One area of focus is to provide structures so the community can continue to operate independently long after this project ends. Each of the three communities form 5-12 member core group committees to help in the identification and mobilization of activity participants.

Gender Focus

Traditionally, women are responsible for the cooking in these communities and are major consumers of wood fuel. Thus the project put particular emphasis on enlightening women groups about the environmental hazards of deforestation for current and future generation and how resorting to energy efficient stoves and fuel briquettes can mitigate some of these hazards as well as save the families significant income. The health benefits were also highlighted as the stoves emit less smoke. Further more, the project partnered with some women groups that service outlets for the fuel briquettes. The welders trained were all men and is in their economic interest to make the stoves readily and easily accessible to all. The heads of household are generally men and usually are responsible for providing money to the women to buy wood fuel. The incentive of saving money will likely be a motivation for the men to encourage the use of the stoves and thus the men were also mobilized and sensitized during the initial stakeholder meeting. Thus both genders are equally engaged in this project.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

some of the training was geared towards raising awareness on the alarming environmental situation both locally and globally and how this is going to impact livelihoods. As all the beneficiary communities are coastal villagers, the topic on how to contribute to mitigating climate change was of particular interest to the communities and has heighten interest in taking ownership of this project.

Project Results

-10 metal welders ( 5 senior welders and 5 apprentices) from each of the three communities trained on improved fuel efficient stove production.

-1, 069 improved fuel efficient stoves produced and available at sales points.

-About 38, 925Kg of briquettes delivered to the distribution points for sale.

-180 active participants received stoves and briquettes to use immediately so as to serve as reference for others.

-25 participants from each of the beneficiary communities received practical training on cooking exercises using the improved stove and briquette and they in turn are to train others in their communities.

-Bulk consumers were identified and solutions for the use of briquettes in fish smoking , bakeries', restaurants and schools developed, tested and piloted.

-12 core group members from each community trained on sales and micro credit scheme and coached on committee strengthening and conflict resolution techniques.

-180 indigenous trees handed to the communities for transplanting under the guard a tree scheme of the project.

- An environment based journalists group (The Biodiversity Action Journalists), contracted for six months for coverage of activities through news paper, radio and the internet as part of media campaign for visibility and promotion of the improved stoves.

- A demonstration and training centre established in Sanyang to continue the training and outreach programme targeting women in the surrounding villages and other parts of the region.The bakery was also built at the centre and uses fuel briquettes instead of the usual wood logs for fuel thus further demonstrating the wide uses of briquettes to replace the tradition wood fuels which contribute greatly to deforestation of the landscape.

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