Half of world population lives in developing countries, out of which major fraction resides in rural areas. The statement establishes the same scenario in Pakistan where 63.5% people live in rural areas. This is a big number and poses the apprehension for possible damage to human health due to indoor cooking in rural areas. The readily available feed stock for fuel burning is the wood in the region. The pattern of wood consumption in Pakistan increases from south to the north. The high altitude areas consume about 4,900 kg wood per house. On the other hand, the rough estimation for wood consumption in south is around 900-1,200 kg wood per house. Almost each household is dependent on biomass cooking. It is estimated that 72% people in Pakistan are dependent on biomass burning (WHO, 2007). It is lugubrious reality that around 2.2 million people have no access to modern fuel. A large fraction of people living in rural areas uses open fire cooking stoves in homes.
The following picture was taken from a small village near Khipro City.
Source: Field Village of Pak Mission Society, Khipro City
Out of many reasons, indoor air pollution is the major impedance to ameliorate the human health of low-income households in Pakistan. The exploitation of wood burning in the closed areas causes
Severe damage to eyes and lungs
Excess mortality rate
Excess morbidity
Tuberculosis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases
Bronchial asthma
Cardiovascular risk
Change in immune defence
Hormonal changes
Eye irritation and cataract
Otitis media
Low birth weight
Genotoxic effect
Increased risk of cancer
In magnitude, it is difficult to evaluate the upshot of the consequences. Due to poor infrastructure, people have less access to basic necessities of life like water, electricity and food. The absence of such basic needs of life put the human development index in abeyance for Pakistan. There are many iNGO’s and national NGO’s working to address the problems to have a smoke-free kitchen in low-income households. The program has been supported by these organizations since 1984. 1st program on Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS) was launched by Appropriate Technology Development Organization (ATDO) with collaboration of NWFP University of Engineering & Technology. The program had conducted intensive workshops to train local people so that they may design and operate ICS. The following cooking stove models are designed by ATDO.
Source: Economic Cook Stove Guidebook by ATDO
PACAT had spearheaded the program for two different years between 1994-1995 and 1998-1999 under the name of the program called Fuel Saving Technology (FST).
GTZ from Germany, started a program during 1988-1992, called “Fuel Efficient Cooking Technology” (FECT) to combat the indoor air pollution.
During 2001-2004, Pakistan council of Renewable Energy Technology (PCRE) designed three metal stoves in partnership with Empower New Zealand.
The following designs were developed by Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technology (PCRET).
Source: Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technology
Following is the list of organization at national and international level who has contributed to ICS in Pakistan;
Aga Khan Planning and Building
The round metal Bukhari cooking stove was introduced in 1990s
Aga Khan Development Network Institution
Building and Construction Improvement Program
Source: BACIP of AKBPSB
Canadian Intl Development Agency
WWF
Department for Intl Development, UK
Mountain Area Conservation Project
Bismillah Village Welfare Org
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, UN) has established four different types of cooking stoves based on function, material of construction, portability and fuel type.
Despite of huge investment of time, money and resource, there is a reasonable gap to bring sustainability in region for ICS. We have accepted the increased scientific knowledge for climate change and its devastating effects on human health but the magnitude of the problem lies on the same axis. However, there are many local NGOs besides the above mentioned iNGO who have been contributing to the cause and trying to serve the future linear of Pakistan. The installation of ICS in the regions has been precarious so far and demands strategic planning, integrating local people with governing institution, and NGO’s.
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