Energy
October 2019
Uganda

The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

„The Albertine Rift Wildlife Corridor Cook Stove Project“

The Albertine Rift Forests in western Uganda are defined by their biological diversity. The high demand for firewood has resulted in ever-increasing deforestation and habitat destruction over time. A collaborative project between the Greenfinity Foundation, the Jane Goodall Institute and Likano promotes the usage of energy-saving ovens and wishes, in so doing, to counteract deforestation.

Wood: A Valuable Resource

The threat of deforestation in many parts of the world poses not only a threat to the environment but also to the environment. However, wood is, for some people, a vital resource which they burn to fire their ovens – often because other energy sources are not available or unaffordable.

A large proportion of the Ugandan population cooks over an open fire. They not only require firewood in order to do this, which is a cause of greater deforestation, but these fires also produce smoke which damages both human pulmonary systems and the environment.

The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

A project designed to preserve the Albertine Rift Forests

To minimise the negative effects of deforestation, the Greenfinity Foundation has created a project which aims to make energy-saving ovens widely available to the local population. The project is being supported by the Jane Goodall Institute which already has extensive experience in sustainable utilisation of natural resources and environmental protection. Another partner of the project is Likano, a private company which is active in the voluntary environmental protection sector, and has been involved in lots of innovative projects.

The project focuses on the Masindi and Hoima districts in western Uganda which border the Albertine Rift forests.  The local inhabitants cook over an open fire and for this they need firewood – illegal forest clearance is the direct result.  According to the Ugandan Bureau of Statistics 2016/17, approximately 95 per cent of households in the target region make use of firewood or wood charcoal, although the estimated consumption of firewood per head comes to approximately 0.7 cubic metres.

The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency and Forest Conservation

The project aims to improve modern and accessible energy-saving technologies for poor, rural households in the species-rich region Albertine Rift in Uganda and to maintain ecological sustainability at the same time.  Furthermore, they will work to improve the local population's social and economic conditions. At the same time, they would also like to work to conserve the Albertine Rift Forests.

The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

Less Wood, Greater Output

The energy-saving oven is fuel-efficient and requires only half the fuel of a conventional fireplace. Once this technology has been instroduced into the community, the local people will continue to collect firewood, however, the amount collected should, within a specific time period, be reduced. 

Although less firewood is required to run the energy-saving oven, it produces the same amount of heat as an open fire as it is well insulated and heats a far smaller space.  Furthermore, the new ovens produce less smoke which means that damaging emissions, including gases like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide which cause climate change, will be reduced. 

Crop residues sprayed with pesticides are often used for fuel and when this is burnt, it releases damaging and poisonous steam into the atmosphere.  Thanks to the introduction of the smokeless oven, the local inhabitants will no longer need to breathe in poisonous smoke whilst cooking.

The smoke-free oven saves not only time and energy but also offers health benefits – not to speak of the benefit to the environment and our climate.

The Ugandan Cook Stove Project Ensuring Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

All pictures on this site: © Jane Goodall Institute and © Likano

Projekt Info
Project Goals
  • Reduction of deforestation
  • Restoration of biodiversity
  • Reduction of CO2
  • Improve the local community's health
  • Improve the ecological, social and economical conditions on-site
Projekt Location

Albertine Rift, Uganda

Project period
October 2019 - October 2020
Project partner

Jane Goodall Institut Austria

Likano