How empowering women starts in the kitchen

By imanuel Muro and Elizabeth Ngoye

Sourcing for Cooking Fuel and Cooking, could be one of the most dangerous daily activities for women in the developing world, as evidenced by data and research highlighting the daily challenges women face in performing this domestic task.

Statistics reveal that women and girls in Southern Sahara, spend approximately 4-6 hours per day collecting firewood, activities requiring them to venture into remote forests and fields, risking encounters with wild animals, snakes, precarious terrain, and exposure to gender-based violence.

The dangers and tortures are extended to mistreatment at home from spouses and parents wondering “What were they doing all this time?” before again being subjected to cooking where the harmful smoke negatively impacts their health. The denial of quality time for education is another negative consequence for girls.

The market for clean cooking in Tanzania, a vast country spanning approximately 950,000 square kilometers, encounters notable hurdles in reaching rural communities due to extensive geographical terrain and inadequate infrastructure.

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Recognizing the burden placed on women by traditional cooking methods such as firewood and the harmful effects of deforestation on the environment, the President, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, is actively advocating for the adoption of clean cooking fuels and technologies.

President Hassan introduced the African Women Clean Cooking Support Programme (AWCCSP) at COP28, Dubai, UAE in December 2023, expanding her vision beyond Tanzania. The program is designed as a gender-responsive, equitable energy transition strategy for the entire African continent.

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Through the European Union (EU) funded CookFund programme, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is supporting the government’s agenda to ensure 80 percent adoption of clean cooking by 2034. Our intervention aims to stimulate the market for the accelerated rollout of clean cooking solutions ensuring that they are accessible, available, and affordable to the end user.

Practically, we provide grant funding to companies and enterprises in the clean cooking value chain to expand their businesses. In implementing the CookFund, there are explicit criteria that ensure women entrepreneurs are affirmatively given special consideration for funding.

Ms Kayonza Limited, a woman-owned and managed company in Mwanza City, offers a very good example of business performance, outreach and support to end-users, especially women. Following the support from the CookFund programme, the entrepreneur, Ms Oliva Kashaga, has reported sizable growth in the number of LPG clients served per month i.e., from an average of forty new clients before support to an average of 200 new clients after the support.

The company has established four additional shops to ensure increased availability and accessibility of cooking fuel.

In parallel to the market expansion, a national public awareness campaign will be implemented to sound the alarm on the importance of transitioning to cleaner energy for cooking noting that the journey to a cleaner future starts in the kitchen – ANZIA JIKONI.

As we continue to reflect on how we can inspire the inclusion of women, a holistic approach to the adoption of clean cooking solutions that address cultural, commercial and policy framework dynamics will improve the lives of women and foster inclusivity through increased participation in economic activities.

Imanuel Muro is the CookFund programme manager and Elizabeth Ngoye is the M&E analyst for the CookFund Programme.