From cookstoves to cooking systems: the integrated program on sustainable household energy use in Mexico

Interest in household energy use and improved cookstoves is growing again, prompted this time by a breadth of concerns that range from local environmental, socio-cultural and, very particularly, health issues to global aspects related to the emissions of greenhouse gases. To face these challenges, improved cookstove programs are evolving from projects narrowly targeting stove construction or sales to more integrated ‘‘systemic’’ approaches. This paper discusses one such approach: a mul tiinstitutional effort directed to improve the sustainability of household energy use in ru ral Mexico. The program is based in the highlands of central Mexico, and seeks to set up a model that can be scaled up and replicated in other regions. The program has five main components that are highly integrated: technology innovation and market development, a cookstove dissemination package, support to micro-enterpr ise development, monitoring and evaluation and outreach activities. One of the program’s salient features is the development and dissemination of a new efficient wood-burning cookstove named ‘‘Patsari’’. Results of the first year and a half of project implementation and the main challenges and lessons learned by the program are presented and discussed.