Enhancing Climate Resilience through Solar Cooking

Jan 10, 2025 - 12:33
Jan 15, 2025 - 04:04
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Enhancing Climate Resilience through Solar Cooking

The University is spearheading a transformative solution to enhance community resilience against the effects of climate change by promoting the adoption of clean solar cookers in Kenya. This was the central theme during a two-day workshop held from 7th to 8th January 2025, at the JOOUST Main Campus in Bondo. The event brought together local stakeholders in clean cooking technology as well as two Flemish Promoters, namely Professors Tine Compernolle and Maarten Vanierschot from KU Leuven. The discussions centred on practical strategies to accelerate the uptake of solar cookers in the Lake Victoria Basin, a region highly vulnerable to climate change impacts.
A highlight of the workshop was Ms. Pauline Bala's live solar cooking demonstration. Participants witnessed first hand the efficiency of solar cookers during a food-tasting session. Ms. Bala also delivered an insightful presentation addressing the intermittency challenge of solar cookers, exploring the potential of sunflower oil as a thermal energy storage material to ensure consistent performance.
Additionally, the workshop provided a platform for Ms Lilian Wanyonyi, a doctoral student at the University of Antwerp, to share her research progress on adopting climate-smart agriculture practices by farming communities in the Lake Victoria Basin. Her preliminary findings underscored the importance of integrated approaches to enhance sustainable development and climate resilience.
This workshop demonstrates the University’s commitment, through the support from VLIR-UOS, to developing innovative solutions and embracing collaboration to address pressing environmental challenges affecting communities within the Lake Victoria Basin. By advancing clean cooking technologies and sustainable agricultural practices, JOOUST aims to improve the livelihoods of local communities while mitigating the impacts of climate change in the Basin.