Bhutan

Introduction of Fuel Efficient Stoves to reduce the consumption of fuelwood

Background
GEF Small Grants Programme has been collaborating with WFP in providing fuel efficient stoves to the remote schools in Bhutan, since 2004.  WFP assistance to the education sector in Bhutan began in 1976, when WFP commenced food aid activities in the country.  The objective of early assistance was to support children studying at boarding schools and institutes, but over time, the school feeding objectives shifted to increasing school enrolment and attendance in rural areas, particularly of girls, reducing drop out rates and improving cognitive capacity by addressing short term hunger.

With Materials supplied by the Minsitry of Education, the constructions of the Community Schools are the responsibility of the community members. The parents of the school going children are also expected to contribute the fire wood for cooking daily meals in these schools. The provision of fuel efficient stoves serve a dual purpose of not just reducing the burden on parents but also on reducing the consumption of fire wood thereby reducing the numbers of trees that are cut down. Given the success of the fuel efficient stoves in reducing the consumption of fuel wood in 48 schools where117 numbers of 100 liter stoves and 22 numbers of 75 liter stoves have been provided, 10 more schools (5 by SGP and 5 by WFP)  have been supported with the supply of schools this year.  The five schools supported by SGP through School Welfare Tshogpa are Bazor CPS, Sarjung CPS, Tshotsshalu CPS, Dungmanba CPS and Kerong CPS in Samdrup Jongkhar district.   The schools are in the priority list picked by the Ministry of Education based on the vulnerability of their status. 

Objectives

According to the past experiences and lessons learnt from the schools which have fuel efficient stoves, the consumption of fire wood while using improved Althaus stoves is much lesser.  Since all the schools are new to the school feeding programme, 3 numbers of stoves will be supplied to each of the schools. 

The primary objectives of the project is to install fuel efficient improved stoves in 5 community primary schools in order to reduce the consumption of fuel wood by almost fifty percent thereby saving a number of trees.  Based on the past experience schools with similar number of students have found to utilize around 10-12 truck loads of firewood on an annual basis. 

Achievements & expected results

50% reduction in fuelwood consumption.

Spin-offs benefits such as awareness to the cooks, students and parents on fuel wood consumption and the need to sustainably use the natural resources within community’s vicinity.