Solar cookers support women and rangelands in Bamyan

The Food and Agriculture Organization says solar cookers are helping rural families in Bamyan meet some everyday cooking needs while reducing reliance on fuelwood, shrubs and dung cakes. In a report published on September 22, FAO said 468 families across Badghis, Bamyan, Ghazni, Kunar and Paktya received the devices. Women in Bamyan use them to heat water and prepare foods during sunny periods. The cookers do not fully replace conventional stoves because their effectiveness falls during cloudy, rainy or snowy weather. FAO says the technology forms part of a wider community-based land and forest management effort. Since 2018, more than 77,190 hectares of rangeland in Bamyan have been rehabilitated through measures including rotational grazing and reseeding. The initiative links household energy needs with efforts to reduce pressure on vegetation and support rural livelihoods.