Grupo Interdisciplinario de Tecnologia Rural Apropiada A.C. (GIRA)

Mission

The Interdisciplinary Group for Appropriate Rural Technology (GIRA) is a private, non-profit organization that was created in 1985. GIRA is dedicated to design, develop and promote technologies that use natural resources in an environmentally and socially sustainable way. At the same time GIRA provides technical and logistical assistance to rural communities in projects that: i) preserve cultural traditions (traditional arts and crafts for example); ii) create jobs and economic initiatives based on the conservation and recuperation of local natural resources; iii) promote equal opportunities for women in society as well as in the home. GIRA is based in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.

Organization Type Non-Governmental Organization

Contact Information

Primary Contact
 Dr. Victor Berrueta
energia@gira.org.mx 		Secondary Contact

Address Col. Morelos
Patzcuaro, Michoacan
61609
Mexico 		Website www.gira.org.mx, www.patsari.org
Phone  0052-434-342-3216
Fax  0052-434-342-3216
Calling/Fax Instructions

Our Focus

Primary Initiatives, Target Populations, and Scope of Work:

Country: Mexico Traget population, including indigenous poor people in the Purhepecha Region, Michoacan State. Scale: international level

Fuels/Technologies: Biomass
 Sectors of Experience: Agriculture
Education
Energy
Environment
Forestry
Gender
Health
Renewable Energy
Rural Development
Small Business
 Countries of Operation: Mexico
Brazil

Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas

Social/Cultural barriers to using traditional fuels and stoves:

We developed an Efficient Cookstove Participatory Integrated Dissemination Package, directed to assure the successful dissemination and operation of our Patsari Stoves. We train end users using participatory methods. Stoves are built and monitoring is performed within households to assure proper performance.

Market development for improved cooking technologies:

No input

Technology standardization for cooking, heating and ventilation:

No input

Indoor air pollution exposure and health monitoring:

No input

Relevant Publications or Studies

Improved stove programs need robust methods to estimate carbon offsets. (2010) Michael Johnson, Rufus Edwards and Omar Masera. Climatic Change 102:641–649

Beyond fuelwood savings: Valuing the economic benefits of introducing improved biomass cookstoves in the Purépecha region of Mexico. (2010) Eduardo García-Frapolli, Astrid Schilmann, Victor M. Berrueta, Horacio Riojas-Rodríguez, Rufus D. Edwards, Michael Johnson, Alejandro Guevara-Sanginés, Cynthia Armendariz, Omar Masera. Ecological Economics 69: 2598–2605

Respiratory health effects of indoor air pollution (2010). R. Perez-Padilla, A. Schilmann, H. Riojas-Rodriguez. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 14(9)
Indoor particle size distributions in homes with open fires and improved Patsari cookstoves (2010). Cynthia Armendáriz, Rufus Edwards, Michael Johnson, Irma Rosas, Francisco Espinosa and Omar Masera. Atmospheric Environment (2010) 1-6

New Approaches to Performance Testing of Improved Cookstoves (2010). Michael Johnson, Rufus Edwards, Victor Berrueta and Omar Masera. Environ. Sci. Technol., 44 (1), pp 368–374
Quantification of Carbon Savings from Improved Biomass Cookstove Projects (2009). Michael Johnson, Rufus Edwards, Adrin Ghilardi, Victor Berrueta, Dan Gillen, Claudio Alatorre Frenk and Omar Masera. Environ. Sci. Technol., 43 (7), pp 2456–2462

Energy performance of wood-burning cookstoves in Michoacan, Mexico (2008)
Víctor M. Berrueta, Rufus D. Edwards, Omar R. Masera. Renewable Energy, 33(5), pp 859-870

In-field greenhouse gas emissions from cookstoves in rural Mexican households. (2008) Johnson M, R Edwards, C Alatorre and O Masera, Atmospheric Environment
Impact of Patsari improved cookstoves on indoor air quality in Michoacán, Mexico. (2007), Masera O, R Edwards, C Armendáriz, V Berrueta, M Johnson, L Roja , H Riojas and K Smith, Energy for Sustainable Development

Social perceptions about a technological innovation for fuelwood cooking: Case study in rural Mexico. (2007)Troncoso K, A Castillo, O Masera and L Merino, Energy Policy

From cookstoves to cooking systems: the integrated program on sustainable household energy use in Mexico, (2005) Masera O, R Diaz and V Berrueta, Energy for Sustainable Development

Masera, O.R. y J. Navia, 1997. Fuel Switching or Multiple Cooking Fuels: Understanding Interfuel Substitution Patterns in rural Mexican Households, Biomass and Bioenergy 12:5 pp. - Masera, O.R., B.D. Saatkamp y D.M. Kammen 2000. From Linear Fuel

Our Contribution to the Partnership

We have expirience with stoves dissemination, improved stoves, monitoring and performance of technology and adoption levels. We can share our experience and help strengthen initiatives and programs.