Solar Cookers International Association
From Solar Cooking
The Solar Cookers International Association is a network of 70 organizations and many individuals from 36 countries who advocate locally and internationally for policies that assist the spread of solar cooking, pasteurizing and food processing. Members representing diverse strategies, programs and devices advocate together under the umbrella of Solar Cookers International, which has consultative status with the United Nations. SCIA has provided testimony in many U.N. venues and several nations’ governments. A directory of member NGOs with pages in this wiki is available.
Our purpose: To encourage networking among solar cookers experts and to advocate locally and internationally for policies that assist the spread of solar cooking, pasteurizing and food processing to improve health, economics and environments. We foster partnerships with UN agencies, international development and relief organizations, policy makers, businesses and networks related to women, health and energy.
Our message: Within our diverse opinions on specific strategies, programs and devices for solar cooking, pasteurizing, and food processing, the Association Steering Committee began identifying common ground on which we generally agree:
- In sun-rich areas solar cookers are improving people’s health, economics and environments.
- Solar cookers are urgently needed by people in fuel-scarce, sun-rich areas.
- Solar cookers complement, don’t replace other cooking methods.
- Virtually all foods can be cooked equally or better in one or more types of solar cookers.
- Solar cookers are clean and pollution-free; most are also safer than fire, and save time and save money.
- Solar cookers’ multiple benefits for cooking, pasteurizing and food processing have been documented in many regions.
Contents |
[edit] Recent news and developments
- July 2007: Newsletter of the SCIA
- March 2007: SCI Association: Ready to be heard - Solar Cooker Review
[edit] Steering Committee
The 17-member Steering Committee from the 2006 Granada conference[1] elected David Whitfield of CEDESOL in Cochabamba, Bolivia as its Chair.
[edit] Regional networks
The following regional networks are expanding information exchange: Asia (met in April 2007 in Kathmandu, Nepal), Africa, Ibero-America, and Europe/non-latin America.
[edit] Action groups summary
See also Internet discussion forum.
The following action groups are developing strategies for collective actions:
- SCIA Advocacy: Active and welcomes more advocates.
- Humanitarian: working on disaster relief applications - currently inactive as a group
- Health: promoting solar cookers to reduce household smoke and unsafe drinking water - currently inactive as a group
- Business: encouraging entrepreneurs - currently inactive as a group
- Education & Youth: getting solar technologies to next generations - currently inactive as a group but many individuals are contributing to the Education Discussion Group
- Technology: refining region-specific adaptations - currently inactive as a group but many individuals are contributing to Technology Discussion Group.
- Food Processing: promoting solar food drying and processing - currently active through Int'l Solar Energy Society - see Discussion Group
[edit] Membership
Membership fees are €10 or US$13 per year. You can join the association here. You can also see a list of member NGOs with pages in this wiki.
[edit] Internet discussion forum
An Internet discussion forum that will allow association members to freely share ideas and experiences has recently been launched.
[edit] See also
[edit] Contact
Association questions and comments can also be directed as follows:
- General: association@solarcookers.org (Bev Blum, USA)
- Africa: sci@iconnect.co.ke (Margaret Owino, Kenya)
- Asia and Oceania: solarnetworkasia@gmail.com (Jimmy McGilligan, India)
- Latin America and Iberia: pedro.serrano@usm.cl (Pedro Serrano, Chile)
- Europe and non-Latin America: joycejett@iprolink.ch (Joyce Jett, Switzerland)


