The construction of an enabling platform for sustainability at a house hold level. PRIMA cookstove's participatory design process case.

Colombia’s conservation Fund ‘Patrimonio Natural’ through USAID funding carried out the Conservation Landscapes Program (CLP) in an effort to interconnect remaining tropical dry forest patches in the Colombian Caribbean... [ view full abstract ]

Colombia’s conservation Fund ‘Patrimonio Natural’ through USAID funding carried out the Conservation Landscapes Program (CLP) in an effort to interconnect remaining tropical dry forest patches in the Colombian Caribbean region where campesinos and indigenous communities have long suffered from displacement and only until recently, were able to return to their territories. This landscape approach takes into account adaptive management, including traditional or local knowledge and practice recovery as well as the participation of local people and institutions. As part of this program an efficient wood stove model called PRIMA was developed with the active participation of 6 local communities. A social innovation approach and a participatory design methodology led to the generation of a small social business and furthermore, to the creation of an enabling platform to develop activities at a household level that contribute to the generation and sustainable management of tropical dry forest corridors. This paper explores the broader dimensions of clean cookstoves beyond traditional deployment strategies shown in other conservation programs in Colombia through the PRIMA clean cook stove’s development process. The discussion focuses in the potential the participatory stove design has and its use as an enabling platform in conservation programs working with communities to introduce or/and reinforce sustainable practices at a household level. As a result, this approach enabled the design of an appropriate clean cookstove and related services that promote sustainable wood consumption in the region. It also made possible the strengthening of a group of women entrepreneurs and the constitution of a social business that is currently selling clean cook stoves and solar micro-grids in the Montes de María region. The traditional energy grid was expanded and campesinos in 10 different “veredas” are now using alternative energy for their daily activities. New knowledge about the use of biomass for cooking has been transferred to more than 800 people after the implementation phase ended. Finally, the use of stove during the implementation phase generated an enabling platform to strengthened the local cultural identity and increase the different actions of conservation and decision making at a household level to reach more sustainable livelihoods.