The Centre ivoirien de recherches économiques et sociales (CIRES) has appealed to the Ivoirian government and local authorities to support the large-scale distribution of improved Tika stoves. This appeal was made during a workshop held in Divo on September 21, 2026, to review the progress of the Tika stove project. The project aims to reduce the domestic workload of rural women. Dr. Diarra Ibrahim, Director of CIRES, emphasized the need for more households to benefit from the stoves.
The workshop was attended by various stakeholders, including representatives of the prefect of the Lôh-Djiboua region, local authorities, and beneficiaries of the project. According to a report by project partners, the use of Tika stoves has significantly reduced the time spent on cooking and collecting firewood by 510 women in the Lôh-Djiboua region. This time has been utilized to promote economic empowerment through 24 economic activities with Associations de valorisation de l'entraide communautaire (AVEC) and the establishment of income-generating activities.
Studies conducted by CIRES and its partners have shown that the use of Tika stoves allows rural women to save an average of four hours per week on cooking and one hour on collecting firewood. The stoves use less wood, enable quicker cooking, and emit less smoke, thereby preserving women's health and contributing to forest conservation. The project, funded by the Canadian Centre for International Development Research (CRDI), will run for 36 months, from March 2024 to February 2027.
A total of 2,202 rural women from four regions will benefit from the improved Tika stoves, with 510 women from the Lôh-Djiboua region already receiving theirs in 2025. The other regions include N'zi, Tchologo, and Tonkpi. According to the studies, the use of Tika stoves has directly and indirectly impacted 3,500 women in these four regions. Beneficiaries have expressed their desire for more stoves per household, as only one is provided free of charge in the pilot project.
The cost of the Tika stoves is 16,000 FCFA for the charcoal model and 19,000 FCFA for the wood model, with a lifespan of five years. The CIRES Director emphasized that increased support from the government and local authorities would help achieve the project's objectives. The project aims to reduce the domestic workload of rural women and promote their economic empowerment.
The workshop was an opportunity for stakeholders to review the project's progress and identify areas for improvement. The representative of the prefect of the Lôh-Djiboua region, Guei Affoué Jeannette, presided over the workshop, which was also attended by representatives of the mayor of Divo, village chiefs, and beneficiaries of the project. The project's success is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of rural women in Côte d'Ivoire.
The CIRES centre is optimistic that with government and local authority support, the improved Tika stoves can be distributed to more households, thereby achieving the project's objectives. The use of Tika stoves has shown promising results in reducing the domestic workload of rural women and promoting their economic empowerment. Key stakeholders will continue to work together to ensure the project's success and sustainability.
Key points
- The CIRES centre is calling for government and local authority support to distribute improved Tika stoves to more households in Côte d'Ivoire.
- The use of Tika stoves has reduced the time spent on cooking and collecting firewood by rural women, promoting their economic empowerment.
- A total of 2,202 rural women from four regions will benefit from the improved Tika stoves, with 510 women from the Lôh-Djiboua region already receiving theirs in 2025.
