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Threats to the
environment have life and death repercussions for people in developing
countries, particularly for the rural poor, whose livelihoods are
dependent upon the land around them. In Bangladesh, rapid deforestation
has contributed to deadly flooding, soil erosion, and poor agricultural
conditions.
Forests in Bangladesh
have been wiped out over the past 30 years, and now cover less than 10%
of the country--half of what is necessary to support sustainable life.
Trees are cut down for industry, agriculture and firewood, leaving
behind eroded, sandy soils that are no longer suitable for agriculture
and exacerbate hunger and poverty.
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CTI's facility in Bangladesh converts inedible rice hulls to 4 ft long sticks used for cooking fuel
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A little over a year
ago, CTI opened a production facility in Bangladesh that creates fuel
sticks made from rice hulls. The microenterprise is located in a major
rice growing region that also produces tons of non-edible biomass in the
form of rice straw, rice husks and rice hulls. Using a fairly simple
process of heat and compression, Bangladeshi workers convert rice hulls
into four-foot long fuel sticks. The fuel sticks are sold in local
stores at the same price of firewood, but they burn cleaner, provide
employment, and don't threaten an essential resource.
In addition to providing
an eco-friendly alternative to firewood, the enterprise supports 6
employees and 4 vendors. It's the culmination of a year of planning,
countless volunteer hours and funding support from the Pioneer Seed
Company. With excellent planning from skilled volunteers and more than
85% of donations going directly to programs, the fuel stick facility has
reached complete sustainability in just a year, and now requires no
additional funding support from CTI.
If you would like to support sustainable, impactful solutions to hunger and poverty, volunteer or donate today.
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Women in Bangladesh cook with CTI's biofuel sticks
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