Su Sanda is sharing eco-stove techniques to her small-scale fishery members.

"What I say is true! Now, I need only three sticks of firewood to cook a pot of rice," Su Sandar, says as she happily shares her experience using an eco-stove. The thirty-something mother of two, introduced techniques for making the eco-stove to her village, explaining how it can save firewood that they once collected from the nearby mangrove forest.

Su Sandar lives in one of the small-scale fishery communities in the Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar. Her community and family rely solely on fishing. However, deforestation and poor fisheries management have become obstacles to their survival. The destruction of mangrove forests has degraded aquatic habitats, reducing the numbers of fish they can catch. Additionally, the lack of effective regulation to prevent overfishing and environmental damage has further impacted their already fragile way of life.

In June 2024, FAO Myanmar in partnership with Kyal Sin May local organization, introduced the 25 small-scale fishery groups (SSFs) to an initiative aimed at enhancing their resilience and livelihoods. A series of capacity-building training sessions on post-harvest management and hygienic seafood processing were provided. From this training, an interesting community initiative emerged: the promotion of firewood-efficient concrete stoves that reduce the use of firewood from nearby mangroves, while providing alternative income-generating opportunities.

Su Sandar is an active member of her SSF group and participated in the eco-stove training. She and her friends have been raising awareness about the benefits of using the eco-stove, highlighting its energy efficiency and its positive impact on the environment by reducing reliance on mangrove forests for firewood.

“Before, we used around ten to twelve sticks of firewood to cook a pot of rice, but now, only three sticks are needed,” some of Su Sandar’s customers shared in their honest reviews of the new eco-stove.

People in her community used to collect firewood daily, but now they rely less on the mangrove forest and instead use dry leaves and sticks from their own compounds for cooking. This shift is a key part of their community action plan to conserve the mangrove forest, where small fish are born, and improve the overall aquatic environment. In the long run, these conservation efforts will not only protect the ecosystem but also help sustain their fisheries-based livelihoods.

Su Sandar sells an average of five stoves per week. She sells each stove for MMK 13 500 (approximately US $3.00), earning MMK 4 500 (approximately US $1.00) in profit. She is pleased with the alternative income from stove-making, as her family’s income from fishing is limited during the summer season.

“I’ve received around forty orders from the nearest town, but I can’t immediately accept them because I only have one mold for the stove,” She said. “I need to make more molds before I can expand my stove-making business.”

Thanks to FAO Myanmar’s technical assistance, which helped local SSF groups initiate their own locally based solutions, many SSF group members and neighbouring households now use eco-stoves.

Su Sandar is grateful for FAO Myanmar’s support to her community action and looks forward to further technical assistance that can help improve the livelihoods of local fishery groups.

This project contributes to SDG 14, and FAO’s better production.