Maa Briquette

Country:
Kenya
Why to choose this solution?
This solution uses charcoal dust, maize cobs and maize stalk and waste vegetable matter to make smokeless briquettes which are dried and then sold as fuel. The briquettes burn three times longer than charcoal, and are smokeless hence pose minimal risk to the respiratory health of the user and at the same time resolve the environmental challenge of exploitation of trees.
Savings per day or production:
Saves about 60 trees per day.
Cost in money and in own time to construct:
Cost about six Million Kenya Shillings (USD 60,000).
Lifetime:
Not specified
Maintenance needed:
Repair of the briquetting machine incase of any breakdown.
Resources needed in use:
Improved Cook stoves (Jikos)
Problems and limits:
Its a challenge to revamp the sole proprietor business into a company. This is attributed to the numerous pre-requisites that necessitate the move and the capital required for expansion. For the enterprise to be considered as a company a lot of investment has to be put in place i.e. licensing, upscaling equipments and mentors are needed.
Where and how can you get it or make it?
Available in Kajiado County ,Kenya
Skills needed to produce, install. maintenance, use:
Production of the briquettes require a short training.
How to use it:
https://youtu.be/QNiROZI9dGw
How to maintain it:
To be added
Climate effect (if any):
Accoring to George Mochu the owner of Maa Briquette, This solution has helped to reduce deforestation significantly. Initially 10 trees would be cut daily for fuel. Currently its only 1 or 2 per week.
Where it is used and how many users are there?
Used in Narok County with about 2500 users.
Why is it successful?
Successful because it is affordable, easily accessible fuel that is eco-friendly and user- friendly, its smokeless,efficient and environmental friendly.
If you can make it, a short description, typical problems, materials needed.:
To make Maa briquette, the user should first source the raw materials;charcoal dust, maize cobs and maize stalk and any agricultural waste but it has to be carbonated first for production.The raw materials are sorted out through sieving then taken through a hammer mill where it is grounded to fine powder then taken to a mixing machine where it is mixed with binder and water. After production they are dried outside or inside the solar drier.
How to make it (if possible):
https://youtu.be/QNiROZI9dGw
How is it delivered and by whom?
Maa briquettes are either delivered by sales agents ,They are carried in pick up vehicles to the respective customers or bought directly by the customers.
Successful financial model
Loan from a local bank to purchase a Briquette machine. The loan has been facilitated through the returns and also through training other people on how to make the briquettes. The enterprise won the 2014 Green Innovation Awards which has enabled get technical assistance in terms of planning .Successsful partnerships with the National Environment Trust Fund from Kenya and the Kenya Climate Change Innovation Center. It also conducted a market research and has an established market base.
What policies and strategies helped the success?
I-marketing via social media where they state whether the Briquettes are ready for purchase. Successsful partnerships with the National Environment Trust Fund from Kenya and the Kenya Climate Change Innovation Center which assist in creating a feasible work-plan.
More info:
Read more https://www.changemakers.com/discussions/entries/maa-briquettes and https://www.charcoalproject.org/entrepreneurs/maa-briquettes/
Sources:
Maa briqutte Email: maabriquette@gmail.com Tel:+254 728 284768.
Name of the association uploading the case:
SusWatch Kenya
When was the case uploaded? (YYYY-MM-DD):
2020-09-29