Association for the Reduction of Carbon Emission

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Last edited: 11 February 2013

Joseph Odey

The Association for the Reduction of Carbon Emissions is a NGO under the direction of Mr. Joseph Odey, a promoter of solar cooking technology in Nigeria, West Africa.

I am Mr. Joseph Odey, and I started promoting solar cooking in 2000. I have taught hundreds of people on how to make and use solar cookers. My activities include among others the lecturing of students at institutions of learning and demonstrating solar cookers with food ingredients to the admiration of students and staff. I organise workshops and seminars on renewable energies, especially emphasizing the benefits of solar cookers. Several rural communities in Nigeria are my targets especially those suffering due to the high cost of fuelwood for cooking that is biting hard into the families' meagre incomes.

The first joint workshop on solar cooking was organized by my organization with the collaboration of Girls Guide/Scouts of America for the Girl Guides of Nigeria. The program was held at the Women Centre, Area 11, Garki Abuja FCT, Nigeria. Ms. Barby Pulliam of Girl Guide/Scout of America who is my colleaque on solar cooker promotion was my partner and part sponsor of the programme. She also sponsored Stella and Esther from Tanzania and Kenya respectively to come and join me as foreign partners. The materials for the productions of the cookers used at the occation were gotten here in Nigeria without importing any from outside the country. The workshop started on the 15th to 20th May, 2006.

Total number of 55 Girl Guide Members from 25 states out of the 36 states of Nigeria were in attendance. It was organized solely for the Girl Guides association of Nigeria.

I am happy to report that the result of the workshop was sucessful as food items, like rice and stew were cooked as samples to the taste of all the participants. Especially that the Girl Guide members were seeing the cookers for the first time. The idea for the hosting of this workshop was conceived by me and was supported by Barby Pulliam while we were in Nairobi Seminar on Solar cooking in February, 2005. I followed up on the proposal to the Girl Guides of Nigeria Headquarters and make sure it was implemented and hence the report for your perusal.

I will send my proposal for funding assistance to you if you know of any possibilities for funding. Thanks as I hope to hear from you.

Method of introduction

First I pay a visit to the school and hold meeting with the school authority / head. I introduce myself as the person promoting the uses of solar energy to benefit people and environment in Nigeria. After gaining the consent of the school authority, we strike a proposal to hold lectures both in theory and practical for the staff and students around. The cost of hosting the program is then negotiated and agreed mutually before the commencement. This money (though little) is used for printing of hand out and buying of food ingredient for practical sessions. Demonstrations on how to make and use solar cookers is done to staff and students. The more thrilling moments are when the food is cooked successfully and everybody sees it and even taste from it from it, that the demand for buying of the solar cookers is normally made. Other area of the school program include teaching and seminar presentations emphasizing more on the economic gain of solar in comparism to conventional methods. Cost of fuel wood and health hazards etc are thoroughly explained to the participants numbering over 10,000 in all the institutions. Here is the list of institutions that benefited from the special lectures on solar cooking in Nigeria:

• Federal College of Wildlife Management New Bussa Nig.
• A.M.MK. III Science College New Bussa Nigeria
• Federal Government Girls College New Bussa Nigeria
• PHCN Staff Secondary School New Bussa Nigeria
• Community Secondary School Wawa Nigeria
• Government Day Secondary School Karabonde Nigeria
• F.C.F.F.T New Bussa Nigeria
• Government Secondary School Dogongari Nigeria
• Federal Government College Apo Abuja FCT Nigeria.

Number of cookers built

So far over 600 (Six Hundred) solar cookit have been constructed by me through demonstrations in the schools communities and workshops held in few places in the country

Models used

The models of cookers build by me are: (i) Box cookers (using mirror and plane glasses (ii) Solar CooKit: “ similar to the ones build in America by SCI. material include cardboards and aluminum foil. This is the cheapest and affordable type and is also quicker to make (iii) Parabolic cookers: is a dish with a stand using metal sheet coated with aluminum foil. Very efficient but costly to produce and sell.

Future plans

• To design, develop, and disseminated low cost solar cookers that can be easily adopted and sustainable a technology improving quality of life of the poor people in rural areas.
• To implement action oriented program in rural areas in alleviating poverty and to empower the rural women through sustainable technology.
• To organize interaction, training workshop and seminars on sustainable technologies. Also to develop and publish extension materials to create awareness among people on sustainable technologies.
• To conduct research on effective utilization of available energy in Nigeria.
• To design projects that generates employments opportunities by creating micro-enterprises.
• To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the different products of solar cookers and their usage.
• To launch programs on practical knowledge for the school students on alternative and renewable energies, re-use and recycling waste materials.
• To provide advice and opinion to the government agencies an other institutions on sustainable technologies.

Determine that people need cookers

Every opportunity they had in seeing my demonstration in schools, communities etc. the demand keeps coming. The climate also where I reside or most part of Nigeria welcomes solar cooking. The intensity of sunshine is very high. Due to the high cost of fuel wood and cooking gases , people are now looking for any possible alternatives to cooking food in the country, if they have access to solar cooker with time it will become leisure and a relief to their sufferings. All Nigerian dishes of food ingredients have been tested and cooked successfully with the solar cookers to the admiration of all. They have seen the cooker worked and tasted the palatability of the food and came to conclusion that it is very good for them to own their cookers.

The make-up of JOKSET

JOKSET is a proposed company which is in the process of registration. It came out of my former program ie. Solar Cooker Research and Applications Centre, which was owned and sponsored by me. It is more pronounced and has a wider scope and will be recognize by the government. Jokset is made up of four key officers:

1. General Director: He is the chief Executive of the organization overseeing the day-to-day running of the programs for its success. He signs and approves all requirements of the organization worldwide etc.
2. General Secretary: He writes and receives letters on behalf of the organization. He organizes the outreach for the General Director and solicit for support. Publishes extension materials.
3. Director Accounting: Keeps records of income of the organization and ensure prudent and judicious spending. And makes records available for auditing when they need arises.
4. Director Administration: He oversees the welfare of staffs. In charge of recruitment in consultation with the General Director. He is in charge of staff transfer and movement. Keep files of all inventory and enforce discipline measures when the need arises. He also Deputize in the absence of the general director and any other work that he may be assigned by the General Director.

Physical Facility:

1. Rented Apartment(Temporarily)
2. Four Tables
3. Computer Set
4. Chairs
5. Video Recorded Tapes.

News and recent activities

• February 2013: Joseph Odey wishes other promoters of solar cooking to please contact him to provide assistance in reaching governmental entities and procuring supplies for solar cookers and demonstrations in the state of Kano, Nigeria. The Association’s solar cooker project started in 2000, with a mandate to create awareness in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and thirty-six states. So far the project has taught 8,000 students in twenty-five schools the art of solar cooking. The goal is to reach 100% of schools.

• May 2008: Joseph Odey reports "A training program on solar cooking has commenced in New Bussa, Niger state of Nigeria. The training is on solar energy and its benefit to man and his environs.A form has been printed and is still on sale as the training itself has commenced progressively on the 19th of may, 2008.Each candidte will graduate with a certificate of attending training program on solarcooking organized by Odey Renewable Energy Technology Co. Ltd. This program will create job opportunities for youths who are out of school and without employment. I want the entire nation to be informed about this good gesture aimed at alleviating poverty due to high cost of cooking fuel in Nigeria where there is abundant sun to cook our food most time of the year."

• November 2007: Solar cooking promoter Joseph Odey has formed the company Joe – Kate Solar Energy Technology (JOKSET) Nig. Ltd. Odey became interested in solar cooking in 2000. He learned informally about solar cooking from SCI’s literature, and has since attended various seminars and conferences. JOKSET’s activities include lectures on the uses of solar energy to conserve the environment, seminars on renewable energy, solar cooking workshops for communities, and solar cooker construction training. Odey says that JOKSET has the capacity to produce affordable solar cookers in large quantities, and is seeking support for expansion.

• May 2006: The first joint workshop on solarcooking was organized by my organization with the collaboration of GirlsGuide/Scout of America for the GG of Nigeria. The program was held at the Women Centre, Area 11, Garki Abuja FCT, Nigeria. Ms. Barby Pulliam of GG/SCOUT of America was part sponsor of the programme. She also sponsored Stella and Esther from Tanzania and Kenya respectively to come and join me as foreign partners. The materials for the productions of the cookers used at the occation were gotten here in Nigeria without importing any from outside the country. The workshop started on the 15th to 20th May, 2006. Total number of 55 Girl Guide members from 25 states out of the 36 states of Nigeria were in attendance. It was organized solely for the GG association of Nigeria. I am happy to report that the result of the workshop was sucessful as food items, like rice and stew were cooked as samples to the taste of all the participants. Especially that the vGG members were seeing the cookers for the first time. The idea for the hosting of this workshop was conceived by me and was supported by Barby Pulliam while we were in Nairobi Seminar on Solarcooking in February,2005. I followed up on the proposal to the GG of Nigeria Headquater and make sure it was implemented and hence the report for your perusals.

• November 2005: Joseph Odey exhibited solar cookers at the "Fish For All" summit in Abuja, Nigeria this past August. The summit brought together industry and government leaders to discuss the current status and future directions of African fisheries and aquaculture. Mr. Odey estimates that over 90% of the participants witnessed his exhibit. He says that demand for the solar cookers is high, and he believes that Nigeria is ripe for solar cooker proliferation, but governmental support is needed. While speaking with the press, Mr. Odey said, "Nigeria is blessed with abundant sunshine that will benefit its citizen if the technology is supported by the government." His efforts to spread solar cookers in Nigeria are currently under financial restraint, and he is looking for assistance in this regard.

• July 2005: Mr. Joseph Odey of the Kainji Lake region reports that he has built and distributed 290 solar cookers in the past few years. In addition, 152 people were taught to make and use their own solar cookers. Demonstrations have been given in 18 villages. Before promoting, Mr. Odey built and tested his own cooker from instructions published by Solar Cookers International. His first solar meal was rice, but he soon moved on to cooking stew, cake, bread and other foods. Mr. Odey uses the following locally available tools and supplies: cardboard, aluminum foil, glue, knife, scissors and tape, as well as black pots for cooking in. Though he does sell some cookers, he pays production, distribution and travel expenses. "The beneficiaries confirmed that the [meals] from the cookers are quite palatable, but not for someone who wants food in a hurry," Mr. Odey reports.

• March 2003: Says Mr. Odey, "I am happy to let you know that a total of 113 cookers were distributed to 15 villages within the Kainji Lake area, with an average of five cookers per village. This distribution was done by demonstration after teaching them how to make and use the cookers. Food ingredients of different varieties were cooked with the cooker as samples and were tasted by all those present. The cookers used for demonstration were then sold to interested buyers at the cost of N350.00 only. After two months, I went around the villages where the cookers were distributed for monitoring and evaluation. It was discovered that more than 200 additional cookers had been constructed by the villagers and were in use. Some migrating fishermen carry theirs along with them. My reaching out to them with the technology was to impart the knowledge of how to make and use it. Materials for construction were displayed for the people for proper viewing and identification. I purchased all these materials and took them along with me to the field. At the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON) conference held in Maiduguri, Nigeria, in November 2001, solar cookers were demonstrated by me and it was discovered that the cooking times were faster due to the intense sunlight in that area. The State Governor who witnessed the program commended the technology and wished that it would be extended to the state."

Update December 2007

In what could be termed a major breakthrough in technological advancement, the solar cooking promotion activities of Mr. Joseph Odey which started in a skeletal form in the year 2000, has metamorphosed into a bigger size with a registration with Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria (An organ of Government responsible for registration of Companies and allied matters in Nigeria). The Company is made up of board members with 3 Directors leading at the affairs of decision making. Under this arrangement Mr. Joseph Agu Odey is elevated to an exalted position of the Chairman/Managing Director of the Company. The Company has the mandate of opening branches all over the country. The name of the company on registration is called: ODEY RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY COMPANY LIMITED, NIGERIA.

Activities includes among others; promoting Solar Energy for sustainable development, Environmental protection, Household and Industrial Applications etc. Imports and exports of solar materials. Fabrication of simple solar cookers thereby reducing the cost of fossil fuels for cooking, conserving the meager resources of the average family needs and adding it to purchase more food. I appeal to all International friends and the Nigerian people to support this company in its efforts to eliminate completely the health hazards and environmental degradation currently going on in the country.

This Edition serves as a notice to all that are concerned and very special information to the Secretariat of Solar Cookers International Association as well as SCI body. Information and activities of the Company shall be made available from time to time, including during attendance to Conferences and Congresses on solar cooking and Renewable Energy.

Contact

Association for the Reduction of Carbon Emission
Joseph Odey
P. O. Box 300
Kainji, New Bussa
Niger State
Nigeria

Office: +234 8054484412, +234 8055529125

Email: joeodey2003@yahoo.com or orecom78@yahoo.com