Central Highlands: energy saving solutions in rural Afghanistan
The project was launched in 2014, with the support of the French Development Agency, in the Bamyan region where temperatures can drop to -30 degrees in winter and where families use rare and inefficient fuels.
Context and challenges
Extreme winter climate in the Central Highlands of Afghanistan: due to lack of house insulation and low efficient heating devices and despite large expenditures on fuel, indoor temperatures can dip down -30°C.
Challenged access to energy for cooking and heating: fuel collect practices have a strong negative impact on the environment, and energy-saving solutions are not adapted and affordable.
Degraded environment: due to fuel collection that increase erosion and negatively impacts soil fertility as well as toxic indoor smokes significantly affect people’s health.
Government agencies and public institutions have insufficient means to fulfil their mandate, whereas they are key stakeholders for the development and the sustainable management of natural resources of Central Highlands of Afghanistan
Objectives and results
Over its 30 years of experience in cold Asian countries Geres has developed locally-adapted technologies to improve energy performances of households and their living conditions in winter. The approach is based on capacity-building of local artisans and retailers, with no or low direct subsidies.
Currently, Geres aims to enhance sustainable economic development of Central Highlands by disseminating appropriate technologies and know-how:
Increasing the interest in Energy Saving Solutions (ESS) through awareness and communication campaign at community and school level.
Increasing the affordability of ESS through the development of saving plan at household level:
- Strengthening small entrepreneurs in the private sector through technical, business management, and marketing support.
- Identifying the vulnerability and resilience capacities of communities to climate change
- Establishing bridges between governmental and non-governmental stakeholders through production and transfer of knowledge, experience-sharing, awareness-raising and institutional dialogue.
Project’s partners
Funder partners
- French Development Agency
- Abbé Pierre Foundation
- Lord Michelham of Hellingly Foundation
Technical partners
- Solidarités International
- MADERA
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