The present project aims to introduce alternative cooking facilities into women’s associative activities around the Itchèdè-Toffo forest in order to raise awareness among local people and scale up the use of these clean cooking solutions in daily household practices. The widespread adoption of these clean cooking solutions will substantially reduce firewood collection pressure on the Itchèdè-Toffo forest stands, relieve women from the burdens of firewood collection, and mitigate potential health damage caused by traditional cookers. The time saved by women using this innovation can be invested in developing other alternative economic activities, potentially increasing household income. The main stakeholders in this project are women from the three villages (Itchèdè, Toffo, and Akouho) bordering the Itchèdè-Toffo forest. Women from these villages will be sensitised and trained on clean cooking technologies and the identification/production of alternative household fuels, while their associations will be provided with solar stoves to implement the innovations.

Additionally, men will be involved in this project as facilitators. About 30 men from the three neighbouring villages of the Itchèdè-Toffo forest will also be trained in setting up supply chains and producing alternative household fuel materials. These men will play a key role in identifying supply sources and transporting cooking fuel materials such as palm nut shells, which are abundantly available in the administrative municipality hosting these three villages. They will be supported in organising a long-term supply chain for this alternative cooking fuel and trained, alongside women, to produce other types of cooking fuels such as ecological charcoal from agricultural residues. To this end, biomass carbonisers, biochar grinders, and charcoal briquette press machines will be installed.