As a component of the CSCP “Human Development through the Market” programme, the CSCP plans to introduce a bread bakery powered entirely by a solar oven in a rural village in south-western Cameroon. The bakery will introduce to the region the environmentally friendly concept of solar cooking as a viable and appropriate renewable energy application. At the same time, it also aims to empower rural women by applying this technology to operate their own small businesses.
At present, a lack of rural bakers and a current lack of interest in the potential of rural markets necessitate delivery of bread across long distances from urban areas. As a consequence, rural villages rarely enjoy fresh bread and the bread that is delivered is unnecessarily costly for local people. The solar oven will enable residents of rural villages to enjoy higher quality, fresh and affordable locally prepared nutritious bread.
The solar oven uses aluminium reflector that redirects and focuses heat from the sun. The oven is capable of reaching baking temperatures exceeding 260 oC which supports baking of nearly any type of baked food without requirements for environmentally damaging conventional energy inputs such as fuel wood. One oven can provide baked products for as many as 250 families and can eliminate approximately 280 tons of CO2 emissions annually compared to fuel wood. This feature will also offer significant health benefits for rural women and children due to reduced exposure to wood smoke while reducing pressure on forests due to fuel wood harvesting.
The CSCP is co-ordinating the overall project implementation. Nature Cameroon, a local NGO and project partner, will assume responsibility for selecting and training entrepreneurially minded local women on business skills and optimal use of the oven. Through the project, the CSCP will also evaluate mechanisms to expand the number of ovens in the future through innovative local financial models including revolving funds and micro-credit schemes.
This project began with funding support from the WISIONS Sustainable Energy Projects Support programme managed by the Wuppertal Institute. The CSCP is seeking further joint funding partners for this valuable initiative.
- Nature Cameroon, Cameroon
- Solar Ovens International Inc., USA www.sunoven.com
Interested potential joint funding partners can contact Tomoo Machiba at tomoo.machiba@scp-centre.org
