is working with BVCO to start a new fuel efficient and solar stove project in the coastal village of Andavadoaka in southwest Madagascar.  This project will be enabled by carbon offset payments and will run in 2008.

Andavadoaka is the site of Blue Ventures' work. It is a small community on the west coast of Madagascar, approximately 150 km north of the provincial capital, Tulear, and 50km south of the town of Morombe (Figure 1).  It is a Vezo fishing community and has a population of approximately 1800 people living in 220 households. Many of the people here earn less than US$1 per day and fuel expenditure is a notable proportion of their total income.

In southwest Madagascar, people currently use primarily wood and charcoal in three stone open fires. This is a highly inefficient way of cooking with a mere 13% of the energy contributing to the cooking process.  This efficiency can be greatly improved, helping to both reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Solar and fuel efficient stoves reduce the requirement for fuel wood and charcoal by around 4 times; benefiting the local community through cost reductions, time savings and improved health and safety conditions.  The environment benefits from reduced carbon emissions and also from reduced pressure on local forests.  The programme itself supports development by providing local employment in stove construction, distribution and monitoring; and promotes efficient cooking through education and awareness campaigns.

From this...

Solar stoves and energy efficient stoves reduce the requirement for fuel wood and charcoal by 50% - 70% (stove dependent). The stoves provide:

• Economic benefits - reducing costs, low carbon development path, and local employment
  
• Social benefits - reducing the time spent collecting wood, freeing time for other activities
  
• Health benefits – improving household air quality & reducing burn incidents
  
• Environment benefits - helping to reduce deforestation pressure along with helping make carbon dioxide reductions

Further detail on this programme can be found here:

As a BV volunteer offsetting with the programme you will receive quarterly updates on the project in Andavadoaka that you are helping through your carbon offset.

Your flight offset is calculated through the BVCO online air travel carbon calculator. You can offset directly through the paypal link. Please inform te Blue Ventures staff of this payment.

For further information please use the contact details below.