Jinja city, energy ministry join forces to shift households to e-cooking
“E-cooking is the way to go, just like the way the government has also adopted the E-movement transport modes. With all these combined, we want to reduce pollution and the number of trees being cut down for charcoal and firewood,” Kakaire said.
Victoria Kakaire, the Jinja city natural resources officer, said e-cooking was one of the measures the city was promoting to mitigate pollution, deforestation and the effects of climate change. (Credit: Doreen Musingo)
JINJA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development has entered into a partnership with Jinja City to promote electric cooking as part of efforts to curb pollution, deforestation and health risks associated with traditional cooking methods.
The initiative is also aimed at reducing environmental degradation and enhancing access to clean and affordable energy solutions among communities.
Victoria Kakaire, the Jinja city natural resources officer, said e-cooking was one of the measures the city was promoting to mitigate pollution, deforestation and the effects of climate change.
“E-cooking is the way to go, just like the way the government has also adopted the E-movement transport modes. With all these combined, we want to reduce pollution and the number of trees being cut down for charcoal and firewood,” Kakaire said.
She said reducing dependence on charcoal and firewood would also help minimise exposure to smoke, which is associated with respiratory diseases and other health risks, while saving households time, energy and money.
She cited cooking beans as an example, saying a household could spend about sh5,000 on charcoal, while an electric pressure cooker could prepare the same food in about 45 minutes using approximately two units of electricity.
“This means that we are saving on time, energy and income. It is also about sustainability because as we develop, we must strike a balance between development and protecting the environment,” she said.
Kakaire said the promotion of e-cooking was part of a wider clean-energy agenda that also includes e-mobility and other renewable-energy technologies aimed at reducing pollution and mitigating climate change.
However, she acknowledged that the cost of acquiring electric cooking appliances remains a challenge for some households, particularly in rural communities.
Kakaire encouraged residents to form savings groups through which they can mobilise resources and gradually acquire electric pressure cookers and other e-cooking appliances.
“E-cooking is for all of us, but for those who cannot afford it immediately, they can come up with group saving schemes. There are also energy-saving stoves that can help people as they plan to move to the next level,” she said.
Shakira Kitimbo, the Jinja City natural resources secretary, said clean cooking interventions should be implemented alongside other environmental protection measures to address pollution and environmental degradation.
Kitimbo added that Jinja City adheres to environmental monitoring and community sensitisation on activities that contravene the National Environment Act and its regulations.
She urged residents to report environmental concerns to the city authorities through formal complaints, telephone calls or written submissions.
Maria Kizza from the National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP) under the ministry said Uganda still continues to face challenges in achieving universal access to clean cooking solutions, with more than 80% of households still relying on traditional biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal.
She explained that the government, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, has prioritised clean cooking as a crucial element of its development agenda and that this is being pursued through community-based approaches, which are critical in changing household cooking practices.
She said the NREP works with various government institutions, the private sector, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to promote the transition to renewable energy.
She said the e-cooking campaign was being implemented under a behaviour-change communication project, with a focus on grassroots structures.
“We are training grassroots champions to use resources available to them, including social media, local government and local council platforms, women's groups and saving mechanisms, to disseminate information about clean cooking,” she said.
Kizza said 40 community champions from different categories in Jinja had been trained to promote e-cooking in their communities.
“We believe that working through grassroots structures is one of the best ways we can change cooking behaviour in Uganda," she said.
Harriet Namugaya, one of the trainees, said savings groups could help households overcome the initial cost of acquiring electric pressure cookers and other clean cooking appliances.
Namugaya urged other champions to use the existing community structures, including women's groups and savings groups, to promote clean cooking and encourage more households to adopt electric cooking.