In Honduras, nearly half of the population relies on firewood for cooking. This practice is harmful for the environment and for women. Cooking with firewood generates greenhouse gases, increases deforestation, and requires women to spend many hours sourcing wood, often in unsafe conditions. It also raises the risk of respiratory illness, which disproportionately affects women since they are the primary cooks.
A recent pilot program, however, indicates that this can change. With funding from Cargill, CARE partnered with 10 families, private company Sistema.bio, and local governments in central and northern Honduras to design and provide biodigesters tailored specifically to meet women’s needs and priorities.
Using biodigesters, which convert animal waste into fertilizer and clean fuel, participants were able to reduce their carbon emissions by 86%. They were also able to save 74% of their annual income, and women regained three hours each day that they would otherwise have spent gathering firewood.
