USAID Launches 'Clean Stoves' Project in Haiti

U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor ^ | June 14, 2011 | Steve Peacock

[Steve Peacock]

The creation of market demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves in Haiti is one of the latest endeavors to emerge from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which says the Caribbean nation’s reliance on coal to cook food is contributing to “climate change” and leaves the country vulnerable to catastrophic weather conditions.

Besides, Haiti’s use of the fuel is not in its best economic interests, USAID has declared.

Although USAID admittedly met with “limited success” in previous pilot projects, that is not stopping the agency from launching yet another effort to encourage the use of LPG and other efficient “biomass” stoves. Consequently, it has unveiled what is formally known as the Improved Cooking Technology Program, which seeks to influence Haitian lawmakers to develop a “regulatory framework governing technical and commercial standards” for LPG products and services, according to the Statement of Work (Solicitation #521-11-041).

USAID is looking for a contractor to sway Haitian legislators to craft such policies, but the selected vendor also will engage in tasks to cultivate LPG stove manufacturing and distribution networks in Haiti. The contractor likewise will launch a media program in Haiti to encourage participation, the SOW says.

Although the project is not directly linked to the United Nations Foundation’s Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves — which U.S. Secy. of State Hillary Clinton helped to unveil in September 2010 — the USAID endeavor is “consistent with the Alliance and will contribute towards its goals,” according to the SOW. The primary worldwide goal of the U.N. initiative is to have “100 million homes to adopt clean and efficient stoves or fuels by 2020,” the document says.

USAID did not disclose an estimated cost for the Improved Cooking Technology Program.

[Steve Peacock]

Any surprise that "It Takes a Village" Hillary Clinton's fingerprints are all over this, along with a corresponding U.N. stamp of approval?

[Vendome]

It’s a stoopid premise but LPG is cheaper.

[TigersEye]

...the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which says the Caribbean nation’s reliance on coal to cook food is contributing to “climate change” and leaves the country vulnerable to catastrophic weather conditions.

Dey be lyin' to you, mon! De wedder be what de wedder be in de Carobeen. Dey wants you hooked on what dey be sellin' which includes all new stoves for every wan.

[exit82]

They can’t burn wood because Haiti is stripped of trees.

So what are they going to do with all the gas containers? Let them pile up in the countryside?

At least they can’t blow themselves up using wood.

What they really need is a good feces burning stove—there’s an endless supply of that—especially when the UN is involved.

[MaxMax]

Funny, as if they would lift a finger to cut down a tree while all that money keeps pouring in.

Gypsies of the Caribbean.

[Chode]

what... no solar stoves???

[ApplegateRanch]

nation’s reliance on coal to cook food

1) it isn't "coal"; it is CHARCOAL

2)They have deforested around 90% of the island to make their charcoal, and are now busily digging up & converting the roots.

They need a different fuel source, whether they like it (or can afford it) or not.

[Steve Peacock]

Thank you ApplegateRanch for that coal v. charcoal correction.

Regarding the viability, legitimacy, or need for this endeavor, I leave it to readers to determine.