50 Clean Cookstoves for Villages in Nicaragua

Dear Friends and Supporters,

For families in Candelaria and across Nicaragua agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Two thirds of the country’s exports are agricultural based and small producers depend on rainfall to feed their crops. The rainy season typically lasts six months beginning in May. This year, hardly any rain has fallen due to El Niño climate patterns, creating a devastating drought in Nicaragua. In Central Nicaragua where the community of Candelaria is located, families who are primarily subsistence farmers have been unable to grow a harvest (traditionally beans and corn). Families are starting to run out of grains from the previous year’s harvest and stretching their budgets to purchase food for their families. Everyone hopes that rainfall will increase, providing families with at least a bean and corn harvest in November.

In recent weeks, we’ve been strategizing how we can make improved cookstoves more accessible for families due to the dire economic situation for most families this year. We know that a significant contribution from the families towards the cost of the stove is key for the long term success of the project. Therefore we are looking for ways to maximize the contribution of the family through local materials, labor, and local transport to lower the payment they contribute towards the stove. Additionally, we are planning to extend the payment period for families to pay on their stove.

As we are preparing for the improved cookstove fair in a couple of weeks, we are looking to incorporate a new and very economical stove model to offer families a stove with a very low price point. We’ve been testing out a locally manufactured rocket stove called the Coci Nica at our office in Managua (see photo above). We like that the stove cooks quickly, reduces smoke and firewood consumption, is portable and is an alternative for families that cannot commit to larger improved cookstove at this time. We expect to offer this stove at our stove fair in a couple of weeks and anticipate that it will be an alternative stove for families that would otherwise not be able to acquire a stove this year.

Thanks to everyone for their continued support of this project and helping families in rural Nicaragua to reduce deforestation in their communities and smoke in their homes. We look forward to sharing more updates soon.

PS. More information about the drought in Nicaragua can be found here: http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/07/el-nino-triggers-drought-food-crisis-in-nicaragua/

Links:

• More information about the drought in Nicaragua