Uganda's Clean Cooking Shift Stumbles on Charcoal Affordability

Uganda’s efforts to promote clean cooking fuels face major hurdles as charcoal remains the most affordable option for many urban families. Recent census figures indicate that 48.6% of urban households and 70.6% in Kampala use charcoal as their primary cooking fuel, compared to just 5% relying on LPG or electricity.

At a national energy policy dialogue in Kampala, Sarah Ssewanyana, executive director of the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), stressed that charcoal is integral to livelihoods, energy access, and daily life for millions. She noted it supports over 200,000 jobs in production, transport, and trade, valued at around Shs2 trillion.

Environmental damage is severe, with Uganda losing 72,000 hectares of forest yearly partly due to charcoal demand, which has tripled in two decades amid urban growth in cities like Gulu, Jinja, and Mbale. The government targets cutting biomass use from 75% to 50% by 2030 and boosting clean cooking access to 50%, but current access stands at only 15%.

Cleaner options falter on cost and availability: electricity is too expensive for low-income homes, and LPG is scarce outside big towns. EPRC researcher Linda Nakato highlighted the resilient supply chain, where 2023 restrictions in northern Uganda merely shifted production westward and imports from Tanzania, South Sudan, and DRC.

Even as incomes rise, households often switch from firewood to charcoal rather than directly to modern fuels, drawn by its storage ease and suitability for traditional meals. Poorer families bear higher costs buying small amounts daily.

Experts call for a gradual transition to safeguard jobs while curbing deforestation. Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)