CONSTRUCTION OF MORRISON IMPROVED FISH SMOKING STOVES
Title: Construction of Morrison Improved Fish Smoking Stoves
Geographical Scope: Selected Fishing Communities in the Ada East District in the Greater Accra of Ghana.
Commissioned by: SNV- Netherland Development Organization, Ghana
Funding Agencies: SNV, Ghana 50%; End-users 50%
Executing Agencies: Rural Education and Agricultural Development International (READI)
Time Span: 2015
Overview of Project
Fish is an important source of food and income to many people in the developing world. Various traditional methods are employed to preserve and process fish for consumption and storage. These include smoking, drying, salting, frying and fermenting and various combinations of these. In Ghana, smoking is the most widely practiced method: practically all species of fish available in the country can be smoked. Fish smoking prolongs shelf life, enhances flavor and increases utilization in soups and sauces. It reduces waste at times of bumper catches and permits storage for the lean season. It increases protein availability to people throughout the year and makes fish easier to pack, transport and market.
Ovens most used for smoking fish in Ghana were cylindrical or rectangular and made of mud or metal. Using these ovens had considerable disadvantages like low capacity, inefficient in fuel usage and could not cope with the large volumes of fresh fish landed during bumper fish seasons contributing to high post-harvest losses. The traditional ovens were inefficient, more firewood than necessary was used for the smoking process making it a contributor to forest depletion. Also the health of the women fish smokers was at risk, because the smoke entered their eyes and lungs, they burned their fingers and they were exposed to direct heat. The fish smoking procedure was very laborious and poor-quality smoked fish was produced.
SNV have started introducing long term solutions to develop the fish smoking industry in a way that reduces pressure on the degraded forest, precious mangrove areas while bringing multiple benefits to local communities. One of such intervention is the Morrison Fish Smoking Stove. The improved Morrison fish smoker uses 39% less wood, an important cost incentive. Ever increasing prices and precarious supplies of fuel wood are strong economic incentives for fish smokers to change and start using more efficient stoves like the Morrison stove.
Approach
SNV Ghana contracts READI to construct 50 Morrison Improved Fish Smoking Stoves in the Ada East District.
Comments
Steve (not verified)
Fri, 11/27/2015 - 13:26
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Great Job
Great job!