Promotion and Dissemination of the "Ban ak Suuf" Stove in the Fatick Department of Senegal

By Anne Alexander, FAO/FINNIDA/Report of Senegal (PRECOBA) (May '83, 45pp. French)

This is a detailed description and analysis of the work done by the project since 1982. It concludes that the publicising and promotion of the 'BAN AK SUUF' (BAS) stove was effective in the rural areas but did not result in any 21 significant stove construction after the initial training courses and construction in the houses of the trainees. Proposals are made for a new method of "diffusion". The project complements the Senegal PRECOBA re-afforestation project.

The system of stove construction by village masons was earlier found to be ineffective because of the high price for the rather complicated stove (Fig. 1.) A simplified design was then developed (Fig. 2) but this has also not achieved widespread adoption. This project was based on training rural instructors who show village women how to make their own stoves. The main reason why it did not continue to spread is that mud stove making is hard work and there is no incentive for women to make stoves outside their own homes.

The next plan is to train two women from each village in how to make the BAS and then pay them for each stove they make. It will require more involvement from the Women's Association and the village chief as well as political support. The BAS is considered to be a good design but to have too short a life due to cracking and so needs development.

It is hoped that mud stove construction in rural areas will then "take off" and begin to ease the fire wood problem which is acute in these areas of Senegal.

Figure 1 : simplified 'Ban ak Suuf' with chimney

Figure 2 : simplified 'Ban ak Suuf' without chimney