By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, February 24^, Mana: District Commissioner for Lilongwe Dr. Lawford Palani has commended GIZ Food and Nutrition Security Program (FNSP) for promoting a gender transformative approach to improve nutrition and the use of modern cooking stoves.

Dr. Palani made the remarks Monday in Lilongwe during the official opening of a day-long cooking demonstration aimed at breaking gender stereotypes in cooking and the use of modern stoves in order to preserve the environment.

“Gone are the days when men could not be in the kitchen and cook for the family, but nowadays there is gender equality and anyone can cook for the family without any discrimination,” he said.

Palani then commended several companies that are promoting cooking using modern stoves saying it will assist in conserving the environment that has been heavily affected by charcoal burning.

Inspiral Manager Joseph Manda, one of the companies that promotes renewable energy through Buka stoves said they are complimenting the government’s efforts by assisting people in the country to use cheaper sources of energy through pirates made from saw dust.

“Just imagine, with a bag of 50kg which is being sold at K15,000, a family of four can use it for five weeks, which is very cheap and affordable,” he said.

Manda said currently, the company is working with Village Savings and Loans (VSL) and Farmers Clubs to reach out to rural areas with modern cooking stoves on an instalment basis.

In her remarks, GIZ Programme Component Manager Khadija Sungeni Mussa said they want to break gender stereotypes in the country mainly in rural areas after noting that there are a lot of gender norms that need a mindset change to promote gender equality and save the environment.