The Asian Alliance of Appropriate Technology Practitioners, Inc. (Approtech Asia) was organized in 1980 in Bangkok to increase the access of the poor to technologies and processes appropriate to their increasing needs and expanding capacities. Its primary role is to facilitate the sharing of appropriate technologies and cooperation among its member and partner-organizations. For over 2 decades, Approtech Asia and its member-organizations in at least 6 countries have developed, pilot-tested and commercialized improved cookstoves and fuels (e.g. charcoal briquettes from agriculture residues) while some have successfully joined carbon trading.
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Our Focus
An aggregate of over half million improved cookstoves have been commercialized in 6 countries in the past decades. In the Philippines alone, the partner-organizations of Approtech Asia have a target of 1 million improved cookstoves, both fuelwood and charcoal, sold and used in households, among food micro-enterprises in urban and rural poor communities as well as middle-income houses and institutions (e.g. hospitals, schools) by 2013.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
By partnering with local women's organizations, farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives and micro-finance institutions, commercialization of improved cookstoves gained momentum. Women entrepreneurs trained in technical (after sales service) and social entrepreneurship are successful in improved cookstove marketing and promotion.
Packaging improved cookstoves with solar-powered LED bulbs and CFLs with battery and outlet for cellphone and battery charging for household use and as income-generating activity is popular among urban and rural poor households.
Partnering with vocational-technical schools and government skills development training center as well as the Department of Science and Technology for stove testing and performance and standardization, Department of Energy for the testing of light bulbs and other imported electrical parts is important and useful in the success of the renewable energy business, especially in off-grid communities.
Regular monitoring by local organizations and technical experts is important in the improvement of the facilities and to gain credibility for the expansion of the energy service centers and business among women social entrepreneurs in the locality, especially with improved cookstoves and fuel and solar-powered light bulbs.
Relevant Publications or Studies
Case Study Series ADP13/2010 "Retrofitting Kitchens to Improve the Indoor Air Quality of Home-based Food Micro-enterprises in Quezon City, Philippines by CIDA-AIT SEA UEMA Project Manual on Retrofitting Kitchens
Our Contribution to the Partnership
Share experience and skills, promotion and marketing of improved cookstoves and fuels, technology exchange, business models for poverty reduction and in meeting the UN MDGs. Expand network and find partners in development to expand the reach in improved cookstove commercialization and help women and families not only to improve air quality in the kitchen and save on fuel but in their livelihood activities and improvement of quality of life of the family.
