In 1990, 20-year-old Peter Scott traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he observed the alarming effects of deforestation.
During an interview with Nation, he remarked that the primary reason for tree cutting in the forests was the production of charcoal.
This experience deeply affected him, prompting a commitment to take action against deforestation in Africa to the best of his abilities.
“I saw deforestation in Congo from charcoal production and I got down to my knees and wept. I told myself I would spend the rest of my life defending the forests of Africa,” Scott said.
In 1997, Scott became a cooking stove designer specializing on making fuel-efficient stoves.
“I’ve always been concerned about the state of the planet, so it wasn’t a total curveball, but I’ve wholeheartedly dedicated my life to saving forests in Africa ever since, and it wasn’t until 1997 that I realised I could do that with cookstoves,” he said.
After dedicating 13 years to his career as a consultant, he decided to leave and collaborate with some of the most talented designers and engineers for a research retreat.
Scott and his team aimed to create a cooking stove that would mitigate deforestation and alleviate health problems in communities dependent on charcoal and firewood for their cooking needs.
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Following a fruitful research retreat, he developed Jikokoa in 2013 and successfully secured Ksh 1.5 billion in funding through a combination of equity, grants, and loans.
Subsequently, he relocated to Kenya, where he established Burn Manufacturing in Ruiru.
“When most people talk about manufacturing in Africa, they’re really just talking about assembly as opposed to full manufacturing,” Scott said.
Adding;
“There’s no other cookstove company that makes their own products. They might design their own stoves, but they certainly don’t manufacture them – our manufacturing expertise is unmatched.”
The manufacturing facility directly employs more than 500 individuals, while an additional 300 individuals are indirectly employed in roles related to sales, marketing, and distribution.
“We’re growing enormously, and what is interesting is that people don’t recognise that Africa is a really great place for manufacturing
“The grid is very green, it’s 75-80 percent renewable, and the workforce is spectacularly hardworking and committed,” he said.
Scott aims to introduce five new products and expand production capacity in Kenya from 250,000 to 1 million units per month.
