How the ACB, through the Small Grants Programme (SGP I) and its grantees in Indonesia and Myanmar, helped communities around the six national parks in Indonesia and Myanmar through fuel-efficient stoves.
Cooking up success with efficient stoves at Padaekaw Village
Mya Nu is happy with her savings from using her fuel-efficient stove
Under the SGP, 2,000 fuel-efficient stoves were distributed to households around MKWS. The use of these stoves reduced fuelwood consumption by 50 per cent, lessened the risk of fire, and shortened cooking time, allowing villagers to do other chores or jobs. Their compact design saves space and enhances mobility. Additionally, the stoves emit less smoke, helping to protect the environment and reduce the demand for firewood, thereby, contributing to the preservation of mangrove forest.
“Previously, cooking a meal would require about 10 pieces of firewood. Now, with the fuel-efficient stoves, cooking the same meal only requires about 6 pieces of firewood. This saves on fuel costs and frees up more time, allowing me to do other tasks and spend more time with my family.”
— Mya Nu, community member at Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary
Addressing fuelwood dependency with fuel-efficient stoves in Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park
By using fuel-efficient stoves, the project team aims to help reduce deforestation
Most villages in AKNP, except for Po Oo Village and Sa Ka Village in Gangaw Township, Magway Region, lack access to electricity and therefore rely heavily on fuelwood for energy. A survey conducted by the Forest Department revealed that the average household in these villages consumes approximately 2.5 tons of fuelwood annually. Additionally, significant amounts of fuelwood are used to create fires that keep insects away from cows. It is estimated that 64 villages around AKNP collectively extract about 4,960 tons (7,022.6 cubic meters) of fuelwood each year from the surrounding forests to meet their needs.
AKNP’s highlights the need to introduce fuel- efficient stoves to ensure the efficient use of fuelwood before alternative energy sources, such as natural gas, can be provided. Under the management plan, AKNP promotes the use of these stoves in priority villages to curb illegal logging and excessive extraction of fuel wood. In addition to raising awareness about the stoves and distributing them to households, park management also plans to conduct training on how to make fuel-efficient stoves and facilitate the creation of a local market for fuel-efficient stoves made by the community.
To address the issue, SGP distributed 300 fuel- efficient stoves to households around AKNP. Although specific data on fuelwood consumption reduction in AKNP is not yet available, similar initiatives in MKWS and GLNP have demonstrated a 40 to 50 per cent decrease in fuelwood usage following the adoption of these stoves. This reduction not only alleviates pressure on the surrounding forests but also saves households time on fuelwood collection and reduces indoor air pollution, improving health outcomes.
Palm farmers use energy-efficient stoves in GLNP
Palm farmers use energy-efficient stoves in GLNP
Under the same project, RELUNG also developed low-cost and energy-efficient stoves for palm sugar production that reduces reliance on firewood by at least 50 per cent. Farmer beneficiaries say that they are also able to cook palm sugar 30 per cent faster than the usual time. According to RELUNG, this innovation allows palm sugar producers to conserve firewood and save money. Moreover, energy-saving stoves combined with a clean kitchen ensure that their products are more hygienic.
