A JIKO THAT USES RICE HUSKS IN MWEA. JANE MUGAMBI 3RD MAY 2013. An Italian student has come up with a cooking stove Jiko which will use rice husks. In His thesis on appropriate technology for an emancipating cooperation,the development of an effective improve cook-stove, Luigi Polonini, a student of Brescia University has come up with a cooking stove that will use rice husk as a source of cooking material without cutting down trees. He said that the first place for the experiment was at Nice rice milers which is the biggest rice haulers in Kirinyaga county, Luigi a fourth year student at University of Brescia said that the decision to take Mwea as a case study is because of it’s a rice growing area where the waste product(husk) is thrown away and wanted to show that it can be a source of fuel for many people in the area. The cooking stove he said is very cheap to make it as it requires bricks and cement only will go for 1,000/- at the market. Luigi said that the innovation is to reduce the use of firewood which is the main source of fuel in sub-Saharan countries, saying that the technology is a way of addressing the energy access challenge in low income countries. “This cooking stove can be found in the market soonest possible at only 1000/-,the reason is to address the energy challenges that is affecting sub-Saharan countries and low income countries” said Luigi. He cited that the three stone fires is still being used largely by many families posing a health challenge saying that the introduction of this cook stove will reduce the health impact that is caused by smoke and other impurities. Luigi also cited that use of husks will keep many from cutting down trees so as to get firewood as a source of energy. He said that bridging the gap with alternative to conventional fossils fuels is necessary to avoid wars over resources. Cyrus Njiru aka Mkombozi said that the stove has come to save Mwea people who saw rice husks as dirt, now they have practically seen that rice husk is fuel. “It takes hours to cook Githeri, when the food stuff is placed on the stove it took three hours to be ready” said Mkombozi the CEO of Nice rice millers. Ends.. 0723321326