Dar es Salaam - The President of United Republic of Tanzania spearheaded the launch of the African Women Clean Cooking Support Programmes (AWCCSP) on Sunday, engaging global leaders in a crucial initiative to address cooking energy consumption. The program aims to enhance the accessibility and affordability of alternative cooking energy.
In her opening remarks, President Samia emphasized the critical role of clean cooking energy in mitigating climate change impacts. Shockingly, she revealed that approximately 80 percent of households in sub-Saharan Africa rely on wood-based biomass energy for cooking, leading to deforestation and environmental degradation.
Despite Africa's relatively low emission levels, she underscored the importance of leading by example and encouraging others to follow suit.
Drawing attention to the disproportionate impact on women and girls, President Samia highlighted the challenges they face, from gathering firewood to the negative effects of indoor air pollution. As a champion of gender equality, she emphasized the program's core objective of empowering women and girls through the adoption of clean cooking fuels and technologies.
President estimated a remarkable reduction of 1.5 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030, with 900 million metric tonnes originating from Africa, through achieving access to clean cooking. This, she asserted, would not only benefit the environment but also enhance women's lives by freeing up time for education, income generation, and social participation.
To bolster the initiative, the President announced plans to collaborate with the private sector in establishing a commercial supply chain for clean cooking alternatives and facilitating access to electricity in rural areas.
The AWCCSP also received support from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who lauded the initiative and emphasized the significant benefits of clean cooking energy for public health, gender equality, and the environment.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (ADB), stressed the urgency of providing access to clean cooking solutions, advocating for increased government investment, and suggesting allocating at least five percent of the current $70 billion annual energy investment to clean cooking initiatives.
The initiative also gained support from regional leaders and partners, with representatives from Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).