Opening address
Keynote speech
Inaugural address
Opening speech
by
Christina Aristanti Manager, Asia Regional Cookstove ProgrammeYour Excellency, Bapak Haji Warsito, Governor of NTB Province
Your Excellency, Bapak Ketua Bappeda Tk. I NTB
Your Excellency, Bapak Walikota Madya Tk. II Mataram (Mayor of Mataram)
Your Excellency, Bapak Bupati KDH Tk. II Lombok Barat
Your Excellency, Bapak Kakanwil Deptamben NTB represented by Bapak Sugito
Mr. Auke Koopmans, Wood Energy Specialist, FAO-RWEDP
Distinguished experts, guests, and participants
Good evening and welcome to Mataram, Lombok.
Mr. Governor: You may have noticed that this is the second time that ARECOP and FAO-RWEDP have held a training workshop in Mataram, Lombok. We do enjoy being here and are impressed with the pleasant atmosphere, support, and hospitality of the people of Mataram. All of this contributed to the success of the first national training workshop on the same subject that we held here in November last year. That is why we have come back.
The experience gained during the Indonesian National Training Workshop on Improved Stove Selection and Dissemination convinced us of the importance of the training module we used because it integrates many different aspects from specific to general, from social and gender aspects to technical aspects. Its highly specific content requires trainers with experience in participatory training methods and the use of a unique process of stove design selection. After the Indonesian workshop we felt that the module was ready for wider dissemination. That is why this Asia Regional Improved Stove Selection and Dissemination Training of Trainers Workshop has been organised.
The main objectives of this Training of Trainers Workshop are:
To familiarise trainers with the content of the training module and enable them to launch a national training workshop on Improved Stove Selection and Dissemination in their respective countries. It is expected that those who participate in the national training workshops will afterwards be equipped to be able to make and/or modify a stove design most appropriate for the target group in their project area. Thus, they should be able to improve the acceptability and adoption rates of improved stoves introduced in their respective countries.
This TOT is organised by the Asia Regional Cookstove Program based in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in collaboration with the FAO - Regional Wood Energy Development Program (FAO -RWEDP) which is also funding this TOT Workshop. Pusat Studi Pembangunan NTB, based in Mataram, Lombok has assisted ARECOP and FAO-RWEDP in all local preparations and have done a marvellous job to make this TOT Workshop possible.
20 participants from eight different countries are attending this TOT Workshop. They come from Bangladesh (3), Bhutan (1), Cambodia (3), India (2), Indonesia (2), Myanmar (3), Nepal (3), and Vietnam (3). Most of the participants are experienced trainers so we hope that a deep mutual learning process will unfold. The participants come from different backgrounds and institutions. Some are from government institutions, some from research institutions and universities, and some are from NGOs. This is part of the FAO-RWEDP and ARECOP approach to encourage collaboration among the different actors in the community so as to achieve a better result for the benefit of the community.
The TOT Workshop will be held from June 29 - July 8, 1997. It is pretty long compared to other training courses, but it is very important that we all are very familiar with the specific content of the training module. In addition, we are sure that the pleasant atmosphere and hospitality of the people at Mataram will make us all feel at home and comfortable and therefore make the 10 days feel like a short time.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the important role of Ms. Michelle Schulein who has dedicated herself for the past year to work on the development of the training module. Her hard work also marks an important change in the improved cookstove development program approach from a purely technical one to one which integrates community factors with technical factors.
I would also like to thank His Excellency, the Governor of NTB Province for giving us his full support and attention and for providing his precious time to be with us and to honour us by opening this Training of Trainers Workshop.
Thanks are due to Bapak Kakanwil Deptamben NTB, represented by Mr. Sugito, Representative of the Regional office of Mining and Energy Department for giving us support, and to Mr. Auke Koopmans, Representative of FAO-RWEDP for always being a supportive partner and helping to make this TOT Workshop possible.
Our sincere thanks also goes to PSP, Mr. Mudahan Hazdie as the director and to all staff for their continuous support and hard work because without their assistance this training may not have taken place today.
And of course I would like to thank our two lead trainers, Ms. Emma Wibowo and Mr Aryanto Soedjarwo for being willing to share their experiences, knowledge and skills with us. I wish you good luck and a successful workshop.
by
Mr. Auke Koopmans Wood Energy Specialist, FAO Regional Wood Energy Development ProgramYour Excellency, Haji Warsito, Governor of West Nusatenggara,
Your Excellency, Director of the Provincial Planning Department,
Your Excellency, Mayor of Mataram,
Chief of West Lombok District,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great pleasure for me to be here at the opening ceremony of this regional Training of Trainers Workshop on Improved Stoves. As you know, fuelwood and other biomass are important sources of energy for many millions of people in the region. This is not only true for the past and present but will also be true for the future. This is evident from information provided by quite a few countries in the region. The information indicates that, although the share of wood and other biomass energy in the total amount of energy consumed may be falling, actual amounts are still rising. There is, therefore, ample reason not to sit back but to keep alert and take action where we feel that may be necessary and useful.
Such action may range from making policy makers aware of the importance of biomass energy, improving the resource base as well as energy conservation activities. With regard to the latter, the introduction of improved stoves should be mentioned. These are an important tool not only for energy conservation but also, and probably equally important, if not more important, for improving the working and living conditions of millions of people.
However, we have learned from experiences gained in many countries that disseminating improved stoves is not at all an easy matter. Why is this so? What can be the reasons that households do not always readily accept the improved stoves? It may be useful to ask ourselves such questions, because we should try to strengthen our cookstove dissemination efforts.
First of all, we should be very clear why these improved stoves are to be disseminated. The new stove can be time and fuel saving, or provide more healthy working conditions in the kitchen, or offer improved functions and convenience.
It could also be that an improved stove just adds to the status of the household. Which of these advantages are really important to the household? To whom in the household? Maybe the advantages are only perceived by the stove designer, and they are not so much valued by the user, or at least by the one in the household who decides on things like adopting a new stove. The one who makes the decision about buying a new stove may not be the user or the one who has to collect the fuelwood. In other words, we should not overlook the gender differences in the household.
We have to ask ourselves if the stove is really an improved one, not only in the view of those of us who are committed to stove programmes, but particularly for the user. Is the quality really as good as we like to believe? And do the characteristics of the new stove meet the needs and preferences of the user for which it is aimed? Do we sufficiently know and understand the needs of the prospective users? And do we know and understand the constraints? What are the problems perceived by the users themselves? There are an enormous variety of factors, which determine cooking practices. The improved stove must match with all the factors, as it is not likely that people will easily change their prevailing cooking habits. In most cases the users are women and we can only find out about their needs and constraints by consulting them on the basis of mutual trust and respect.
This is what I call a needs-oriented approach, which has proven to be more successful than a technology-driven approach. After all, when the requirements and preferences of the users are not taken seriously, how can we expect that they will accept and indeed use the stove?
Once we are sure the stoves are of good quality and meet the users needs, the next challenge is to design a strategy for producing and disseminating them. There should be quantitative targets for the numbers of stoves and the time period, as well as the geographical areas selected. We have to think about possible mechanisms for dissemination. How do we reach the prospective users? Which means of communication are available and suitable?
In order to know if the improved stove meets our objectives, we have to monitor the results. From such monitoring we can learn a lot about how effective our stove programme has been and, probably more importantly, we can also learn how we can further improve stoves and stove programmes.
Although profit is normally not an objective when an NGO or government project aims for the introduction and dissemination of improved stoves the profit motive nevertheless should not be forgotten. In the end the stove should be able to stand on its own merits or in other words dissemination of the stoves should become ingrained in the society. This will only work if all those involved-from stove makers to the users with everyone in between such as traders, shop keepers, etc- get something out of it which normally will be in the form of financial profit, but could also be in the form of time savings, improved working conditions, etc.
As I said, designing and introducing improved stoves is not at all a simple matter. It requires the best professional ingenuity, experience and dedication from all involved. We have to be critical of our own products and performance, and we must be prepared to keep learning from both failures and successes. Some stove programmes have been very successful indeed and these results are encouraging us to proceed.
I am sure the present workshop will help you in this respect, and I wish you all success in your future programmes.
by
Mr. Sugito Regional Office of the Department of Mining and EnergyYour Excellency, Bapak Haji Warsito, Governor of Nusa Tenggara Barat Province
Your Excellency, Bapak Ketua Bappeda Tk. I NTB
Your Excellency, Bapak Walikota Madya Tk. II Mataram (Mayor of Mataram)
Your Excellency, Bapak Bupati KDH Tk. II Lombok Barat
Your Excellency, Kakanwil
Your Excellency, Kepala Dinas
Before I begin with a few words please understand that the Director of the Regional Office of the Department of Mines and Energy cannot be here because he is now in the Philippines. Hopefully this does not lessen the meaning of this regional training.
First, let us be thankful to the one and all-powerful God that on this fine evening we are still given bodily and spiritual health and can gather together in this room, on our beloved Lombok Island.
Next, to the participants from the Department of Mines and Energy of neighbouring countries we also want to extend a special welcome to the Asia Regional Training of Trainers Workshop on Improved Stove Selection and Dissemination, organised by ARECOP (The Asia Regional Cookstove Program).
This event represents a unique honour for us because similar activities for improved cookstove program development have been held since 1995 on our beautiful Lombok Island. This shows that we have attracted the attention of the Food and Agriculture Organisation: Regional Wood Energy Development Program. For this we express sincere thanks and appreciation.
As energy is one of the basic needs of people, in addition to shelter, nourishment and clothing, we realise that we need to make appropriate efforts to find solutions to problems in the area of appropriate stove technology. These are stoves which truly save energy and are environmentally friendly. In other words, by using them we can cut down on waste and conserve scarce energy resources and encourage their efficient and rational use.
Improved Cookstove Programs were started in Indonesia more than 15 years ago and there is a close relationship between these and the availability of biomass energy resources. As we know the majority of Indonesians in general and in Lombok specifically have various household and industrial energy needs and are still dependent on fuelwood or other forms of biomass. This of course is not a situation we would choose because environmental quality is adversely affected when fuelwood consumption is not properly managed. Thus people need to be aware of the availability of ICS. Because of this we fully support this training for improved stove selection and dissemination and hope that this will represent one solution so that the waste of energy sources, especially biomass, can be cut down with the introduction of a more efficient stove. In addition these will provide optimal energy and, at the same time, preserve the environment.
We understand that the methodology of the training will include a case study and field practice in various communities of different conditions with different targets. In turn it will bring true benefits for rural peoples, especially in NTB. The only thing that remains to be said is that hopefully this workshop will go according to plan and, even more important, that the participants will be able to apply their new skills and knowledge amongst rural peoples after this training. Finally, for all of the participants from different countries, we hope you have a good training workshop and are diligent, patient and sincere for the next 10 days.
Thank you. We wish you good luck and success in this endeavour.
Thank you for your attention.
by
Dr. H. Warsito Governor of West Nusa Tenggara ProvinceMs. Christina Aristanti, ARECOP Manager
Mr. Auke Koopmans, Wood Energy Specialist of the FAO Regional Wood Energy Development Program
Mr. Sugito, Representative of the Regional Office of the Department of Mines and Energy
Mr. Mudahan Hazdie, Director of PSP-NTB
Distinguished experts, Ms. Emma Wibowo and Mr. Aryanto Sujarwo
The honourable chairman of DPRD and senior officials of regional government
The heads of the civil administration authority
The participants
Praise be to God, that this evening, we are able to begin one more strategic activity which will lead to the effective solution to one of our pressing energy problems, i.e. the need to develop and widely disseminate an energy thrifty cookstove. This is being carried out by the Asia Regional Cookstove Programme (ARECOP) in Yogyakarta and the Food and Agriculture Organization - the Regional Wood Energy Development Program (FAO - RWEDP) in Bangkok, and in co-operation with the Development Study Center of West Nusa Tenggara (PSP - NTB) in Mataram.
While we are implementing this training various events associated with our annual World-Life-Environment celebrations are being conducted. And for West Nusa Tenggara the main commemoration will be held on 30th of June 1997, in Sesaot Forest of West Lombok Regency. This is very auspicious indeed because this workshop will help to support our strong determination to save the environment from various disasters resulting from over-use of our energy resources.
On behalf of the Regional Government and the people of West Nusa Tenggara, I thank you very much for undertaking this activity, and I welcome all participants especially the participants from overseas-a warm welcome to this island or our beloved Bumi Gora. We hope that during this time, you will always in be in good health and experience happiness, so that you can fulfil your intentions regarding this workshop.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you
Wassalamu'alaikum WR. WB.
The Governor then formally opened the Training of Trainers Workshop on Stove Dissemination and Selection
A Welcome Dinner, was then hosted by ARECOP and RWEDP and various cultural performance were presented by the participants and the TOT team.
