On a daily basis, households use a lot of wood in cooking food. This has a negative impact on the environment due to accelerated deforestation. However, improved “Bika Igiti” stoves are likely to reduce the amount of wood used in cooking food. Unfortunately, they are not popularized

In number 477 of Burundi Eco, we talked about Honey Trade Global (HTG), a company based in Kayanza working in the production and marketing of honey. Like the beekeeping sector, it has embarked on the protection of the environment, especially trees. On the outskirts of the urban center of Kayanza, on Rwintare Hill, this company has a workshop that manufactures the improved stoves known as “Bika Igiti”. The latter, according to Yves Niyongabo, CEO of HTG, reduce the use of wood in cooking food by up to 45%. They are multifunctional because they use dry wood or charcoal.

With technical and financial support from GIZ, HTG started manufacturing “Bika Igiti” based on clay in 2018. Unfortunately, the local population does not want these improved stoves, because they are a bit expensive compared to the traditional stoves they are used to. These can be purchased at around 1500 fBu per unit while Bika Igiti costs between 3500 fBu and 4000 fBu.

HTG does not have a permanent market for its products. Occasionally, she takes advantage of NGO raids when they want to distribute the “Bika Igiti” improved stoves to populations living in their areas of intervention. This is the case of WFP which, in 2018, distributed improved stoves in refugee camps located in several provinces of Burundi such as Muyinga, Rutana, Ruyigi, Cankuzo, etc. For Niyongabo, this is good because on this occasion his company sells a significant number of improved “Bika Igiti” stoves. In return, a financial gain follows to cover the resources invested and generate profits.