Practical Action's energy programme aims to increase poor people's access to energy technology options, through improving the efficiency and productivity of biomass use, and through small scale, low cost, off-grid electricity supply. Practical Action (ITDG) works closely with communities to help them develop technology options which are appropriate to their needs. It has worked on projects related to indoor air pollution since 1993 and is currently looking at pathways to scaling up.
Contact Information
Our Focus
Practical Action is a large INGO with initiatives across the whole range of development issues. Its current work on indoor air pollution is in Kenya, Sudan and Nepal, where the project is seeking ways to make effective kitchen smoke alleviation initiatives both sustainable and effective. The project is targetting geographic regions comprising several thousand households and is developing revolving funds, marketing strategies and health monitoring in these regions. The organisation is also running a campaign to make the dangers of smoke more widely known within the policy environment.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
By using Participatory methods, Practical Action avoids social / cultural barriers as people themselves select the ways in which they would like to alleviate smoke.
The project used market surveys to determine the size of the market and desirable product attributes for the households in the project regions. Training in business skills is given to those making the technologies.
In Kenya, a range of methods from 'fireless cookers' to smoke hoods and LPG are being introduced. Standard dimensions for stoves and hoods are used. In Nepal, walls are being insulated and smoke hoods introduced - smoke hoods are being made to a standard design. In Sudan, LPG appliances are standard shop-bought equipment bought through revolving funding.
The project is working in a peri-urban setting in Kenya, a high cold region in Nepal and communities of displaced persons in Sudan. Monitoring has been completed using particulate pumps and CO monitors and is now using CO monitors, personal breath CO monitors and spirometry. The project is also using questionnaires and impact monitoring.
Relevant Publications or Studies
There is a selection of papers on the Practical Action website energy pages. These are located here
Our Contribution to the Partnership
Practical Action (ITDG) has been closely involved with the Partnership from its inception and will continue to do so in whatever ways best lead to poverty alleviation through improved access to household energy.
