The larger part of Africa’s population do not have access to “processed” fuels like natural gas or modern cooking equipment. This means they are primarily dependent on open wood fires, a method of cooking that it extremely inefficient and harzardous to the environment.
The Kenya Ceramic Jiko (“jiko” is the Swahili word for cooker) solves two problems simulataneouly by addressing the issue of high cost of raw material for making the cooking equipment as well as reducing the amount of biomass required to cook by using available energy more efficiently.
This ingenious application of appropriate technology is composed of a fired ceramic heat containing liner fitted inside a metal housing. This housing is typically made from metal sheeting from discarded packaging – such as the ubiquitous 55 gallon steel drum – that would otherwise have ended up as hazardous waste in the environment. The liner essentially acts as an insulator when burning wood or charcoal containing the heat generated to ensure that it goes to cooking rather than escaping into the environment. This means that the ceramic cooker typically uses between 25 to 40% less fuel than a regular jiko.
You can find more information about this ingenious invention at the following links:
– Daniel Kammen’s Cook stoves for the developing world.
– Equator Initiative’s A burning concern.
Hugh Allen has also published a handbook of making Kenya Ceramic Jikos through the Stylus publishing house.
just pointing out that this device is in common use in most of urban east africa.
am sponsor for a family in Bondo,
where can I find a company to make a jikos to this family ?
Hi,
You might be interested in talking or visiting the ceramics manufacture and distributor of the ceramic liner used to make the KCJ Kenya Ceramic Jiko in Kenya. Also the experimental workshop that helped to put together Hugh Allens Book on the KCJ. You will be pleased at what you find.Email me and I will get you his contact.
dont mean to leave a comment for grethe Madsen here but i can put you intouch with the local manufacturer and distributor for the Jiko. He has helped create very many local businesses. You can foward my email address to grethe thanks
My mom has one like that. It makes the charcoal to burn slowly. the only problem associated with it is the destruction of forests to create charcoal for fuel