ICENECDEV hands over 100 Environmentally-friendly stoves to rural women

The International Centre for Environmental Education and Community Development, ICENECDEV, a Buea-based nongovernmental organization, has handed over some 100 improved cook stoves to rural women in the sub division.

The stoves which officials of the NGO say are environmental friendly as it reduces air pollution was last week handed over to rural women drawn from Muea, Mile 14, Mile 15, Tole, Small Soppo, Buea town and Bomaka quarters in the Buea sub division.

The donated cook stoves, ICENECDEV Chief Executive Director, Fongoh Eric holds, falls in line with the organisations project on Improved Cook Stoves to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution in Cameroon.

 The project which kicked off with the training of rural women on how to fabricate and utilise the environmental friendly cook stoves aims at curbing the overuse of “3-stone-fireside” as over 97% of rural women are said to use it on a daily basis.

According to the Fongoh Eric, the rampant use of the “3-stone-fireside” does not just consume wood but the fume it produces is hazardous to the environment.

“Cameroon has recorded significant damage to its ecosystems in the last several decades following the unsustainable use and exploitation of natural resources. The 22 million hectares of forestland are receding by about 100,000 hectares per year. Especially the ongoing deforestation of Cameroon's mangrove forests and mountain forests of Mount Cameroon in the south west region is a serious concern for this ecosystem as the population pressure on the resources is increasing. More than 97% of the women use the 3 stone fire site with a lot of wood fuel producing smoke that affects their health conditions.”

“In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that air quality causes between 7 and 8 million deaths every year. The makes air pollution the leading environmental cause of premature deaths. Exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution is closely linked to increase in the occurrences of cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and heart disease, as well as cancer and respiratory disease.” Fongoh said while calling for a global respond and more usage of alternative means of cooking.

The project which he said seeks to Contribute to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals number 3,5 6 13 and 17 while playing a rule in accomplishing the article 11 and 12 of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

The project, he told this reporter has as objective to improve air quality and health conditions, to train 100 rural women to adapt and mitigate climate change with Fuel-efficient stoves and to reduce the rate of deforestation by 10% among local communities in Cameroon