In a bid to reduce deforestation and promote environmental conservation, communities at Uliwa in Karonga have embarked on a project to turn rice husks into briquettes.
The project, which is being implemented by the Livingstonia Church and Society Programmes in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (SMEDI), aims to provide a sustainable alternative to firewood and charcoal.
According to the Executive Director for Livingstonia Church and Society Programmes, Moses Mkandawire, the project is expected to have a significant impact on the environment and the livelihoods of the local community.
“The production and sale of rice husk briquettes will not only reduce deforestation but also provide a new source of income for the local community,” said Mkandawire.
The project has already started bearing fruit, with a group of local youth and women undergoing training on how to produce briquettes from rice husks using manual methods.
The trainees are optimistic about the project’s prospects, saying it will help reduce their reliance on firewood and charcoal.
“We are excited about this project because it will help us reduce deforestation and also provide us with another source of income,” said one of the trainees, Mwiza Chirwa.
The project is expected to be scaled up in the coming months, with plans to establish a briquette production plant in the area.
The initiative is part of efforts to promote sustainable livelihoods and environmental conservation in Malawi’s rural communities.
