By Aaior K. Comfort

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has introduced fuel-efficient stoves and charcoal briquettes that can cut fuel consumption by 50%, promoting energy savings and environmental sustainability. According to FAO Energy Specialist Dr. Yakaka Maina, these solutions are a key part of efforts to address food security and improve health in Nigeria.

Speaking during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a FAO training session in Yola, Maina emphasized the benefits of these innovations. The training, funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, was aimed at enhancing food security and nutrition in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.

The session focused on equipping 70 women leaders with fuel-saving techniques that maximize heat transfer and minimize energy loss during cooking. Maina highlighted practices like using lids to reduce cooking time, steaming vegetables to conserve nutrients, and pre-soaking beans to save time and fuel. Additionally, she recommended charcoal briquettes, which are clean-burning and cost-effective, reducing harmful emissions.

The initiative is part of the FAO’s “Emergency Agriculture-Based Livelihoods Sustenance for Improved Food Security and Nutrition” program in Nigeria’s North-East. Maina also stressed that adopting these techniques could lead to improved nutrition, reduced indoor pollution, and a better quality of life for communities.