Laikipia Receives 2,000 Energy-Saving Stoves from Government Initiative

Laikipia – In a significant move to promote clean energy, over 2,000 households in Laikipia have received energy-saving stoves from the government. This initiative is part of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum’s Accelerating Clean Cooking Access (ACCA) project. The project aims to reduce harmful gas emissions by encouraging the use of clean cooking fuels.

According to Kenya News Agency, who spoke at the distribution event in Nanyuki, the government plans to distribute a total of 4.5 million stoves to vulnerable communities across the country. Wachira emphasized the global and national significance of clean cooking, highlighting its health and environmental implications. He noted that traditional cooking methods, involving firewood and charcoal in poorly ventilated spaces, have contributed to high rates of respiratory diseases, heart problems, deaths, and adverse climate effects due to greenhouse gas emissions.

Wachira stated that annually in Kenya, 23,000 lives are lost due to exposure to emissions from cooking with firewood and charcoal. The new stoves are expected to reduce exposure to smoke, thereby prolonging life and decreasing the risk of respiratory diseases. The PS also mentioned that this program would support the presidential directive of planting 10 billion trees by 2032, by reducing the need to cut down trees for firewood.

During the event, the Japanese government reiterated its support for Kenya in combating climate change. Nishimura Masaya, Second Secretary at the Japanese Embassy, announced that Japan had allocated Sh208.6 million to fund clean cooking actions in Kenya. Masaya explained that the primary goal of the project is to improve living conditions and enhance health outcomes by distributing clean cooking stoves nationwide. He linked this initiative to Kenya’s broader environmental sustainability goals, including the ambitious target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

Masaya further detailed that the project aims to distribute stoves to 10,000 households, support livelihoods, and create employment opportunities. This includes training women and youth in briquette making. He also highlighted Kenya’s commitment to reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 32 percent compared to business-as-usual levels, as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). In support of these efforts, Japan is contributing through a JICA Technical Cooperation project focused on emission reduction.