Naurangia Done, 25th September, 2024: Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) organised a training workshop from 19th-20th September, on the construction of Improved Cook Stoves (ICS) in the Nauragia Done, located within the forested habitats of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve. The Done Valley covers 45 sq km and is inhabited by around 30,000 people settled in 30 villages.

The comprehensive training focused on the theoretical and practical aspects of ICS. By constructing these cookstoves, women from the local communities can reduce their dependency on the forest for fuelwood collection and other resources. This not only helps reduce forest fires and Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) but also enhances health conditions by decreasing smoke emissions. Additionally, it creates livelihood opportunities, recognising the vital role women play in managing household responsibilities and fostering sustainable practices within their communities.

Training on construction of improved cook stoves in Valmiki Tiger Reserve | Photograph by Shameem Ahmad/WTI

Supported by the Charities Aid Foundation America (CAF America), WTI  is working with the seven villages in the Done Valley to empower villagers in reducing forest fire incidences in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve and restoring the degraded habitats in the Done Valley, where numerous seasonal streams descend from the tiger reserve.

The training sessions focused on revisiting the women’s skills in ICS making techniques and proper installation practices. They were trained almost a decade ago when WTI first started this initiative, and some continued to use it, while many others expressed  interest in adopting this technique.

However, the social rituals in the Tharu Tribe, the dominant community in the Done Valley, involve demolishing the Chullhas (cook stoves) upon the demise of a family member and building a new one. This practice affects the construction of new ICS in the households. 72 women participated in this program and we hope will lead to consistent maintenance of the engineering in the construction and installation of ICS across households maximizing the stoves’ efficiency. Proper installation is key to realising the full potential of ICS such as improving combustion efficiency to minimising smoke emissions.

Women participation in construction of Improved cook stoves in Valmiki Tiger Reserve | Photograph by Shameem Ahmad/WTI

Dr. Samir Kumar Sinha, Chief Ecologist, and Joint Director, WTI, stated that the use of ICS will reduce fuelwood consumption by at least 35% and can contribute significantly to reducing dependency on forest resources, forest fires, and Human-Wildlife Conflict. It can also improve the health prospects of women by reducing exposure to cooking smoke.

WTI’s Valmiki Recovery Project aims to recover the park’s tiger population and the protected area by providing scientific inputs to the tiger reserve management (Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Bihar) and reducing communities’ dependence on the tiger reserve.