Clean Cooking: Powering Uganda’s Sustainable Future
Access to clean cooking is no longer a luxury but a necessity for health, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. In Uganda, where nearly 75% of households still rely on traditional biomass such as firewood and charcoal, the transition to modern, clean cooking solutions is central to national development. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD), through its Clean Cooking Unit, is spearheading this transformation with bold targets, innovative projects, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
A National Mandate for Change
The Clean Cooking Unit was established to drive Uganda’s shift towards inclusive and sustainable energy. Its overarching goal is to position clean cooking as a key contributor to Uganda’s economic growth under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
Key objectives include:
- Strengthening sector coordination and private sector participation,
- Mobilizing finance and investment,
- Expanding access through both supply and demand side interventions, and
- Promoting knowledge sharing, data consolidation, and capacity building.
By 2030, Uganda aims to reduce traditional biomass use in cooking from 75% to 50% while increasing the share of clean energy use from 25% to 50%.
National Targets for Clean Cooking
Uganda’s clean cooking ambitions are bold and measurable:
- Boost per capita electricity consumption from 218 kWh to 578 kWh,
- Increase LPG’s contribution to the national energy balance from 0.3% to 5%, and
- Scale up adoption of modern cooking solutions across urban and rural households.
These targets are designed to protect forests, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve household health and wellbeing.
Transformative Programs and Projects
Uganda’s clean cooking agenda is supported by a series of strategic projects in partnership with global and local actors. Among them:
- Electric Cooking Scale and Support Program (2024–2026): Supported by UK AID, this program focuses on supply chain development for 10,000 high-quality electric cooking appliances, technician training, behavioral change campaigns, and institutional pilots in schools.
- Uganda Biogas and eCooking Program (2025–2030): Backed by the African Development Bank, this project will build 47 biogas plants in public institutions and distribute 77,000 affordable eCooking devices, reducing charcoal and firewood dependency.
- Electricity Access Scale-Up Project (2023–2027): Supported by the World Bank, this initiative expands grid connectivity, particularly in refugee-hosting communities, ensuring energy access for households and enterprises.
- SEE-CC Program (2021–2025): In partnership with GIZ and SNV, this project strengthens the clean cooking entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting SMEs, financing innovation, and promoting higher-tier cooking technologies.
- Forest Management & Sustainable Charcoal Value Chain Project (2021–2025): Co-funded by the EU and FAO, this project promotes sustainable charcoal production practices and rehabilitation of degraded forests.
The Bigger Picture
The Clean Cooking Unit’s work is not only about replacing firewood with stoves. It is about transforming lives. Clean cooking means healthier households free from indoor smoke-related illnesses, reduced time spent collecting firewood (especially for women and children), new economic opportunities, and a sustainable path toward climate resilience.
With strong government leadership, international partnerships, and active private sector engagement, Uganda is positioning itself as a clean cooking champion in Africa. The journey is ongoing, but the vision is clear: a Uganda where every household cooks clean, breathes clean, and thrives in a sustainable energy future.