The Setting Up of the Clean Cooking Unit (CCU) project aims to support Uganda achieve universal access to clean cooking technologies by 2040. This is through the establishment of a CCU within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) with support from the UK Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Uganda. The project focuses on increasing investment, enhancing stakeholder coordination, and strengthening institutional capacity to promote Cleaner Cooking Solutions (CCS) and Modern Energy Cooking Systems (MECS).

By promoting the adoption of improved cookstoves and modern energy systems, the project aims to reduce indoor air pollution, mitigate environmental impacts, and enhance energy efficiency. This intervention directly addresses Uganda’s pressing energy challenges while driving health, environmental, and economic benefits. In doing so, it contributes significantly to Uganda’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The primary goal is to achieve universal clean cooking with CCS and MECS by 2040. The project aims to:

1). Promote the adoption of Cleaner Cooking Solutions (CCS) and Modern Energy Cooking Systems (MECS) in Uganda. By coordinating stakeholders, increasing awareness, and mobilizing investments,

2). Enhance access to clean cooking technologies. The initiative directly benefits 500,000 households, improving health outcomes, reducing deforestation, and creating green jobs.

Uganda faces significant challenges in transitioning to clean cooking solutions, with over 90% of households relying on traditional biomass mainly firewood and charcoal for cooking. This dependence on biomass contributes to high deforestation rates, greenhouse gas emissions, and indoor air pollution, leading to severe health risks, particularly for women and children. Additionally, just over 5% of the population uses modern clean fuels such as LPG, electricity – mostly concentrated in the urban areas of Kampala and the Central Region or biogas from biodigesters for cooking which is still low highlighting the urgency for sustainable energy interventions.

In response to these challenges, Uganda has developed several policies, including Vision 2040, the National Development Plan (NDP III), and the Energy Policy for Uganda 2023 aimed at promoting clean energy adoption. However, the lack of coordinated efforts and investment in the clean cooking sector hampers progress toward universal access to clean cooking by 2040.

Furthermore, Uganda’s rapidly increasing population, which currently stands at 45 million and is projected to reach about 104 million by 2050 together with Limited access to clean and modern energy solutions exacerbates this challenge, with only 1% of the population using clean cooking options as their primary energy source (2.7% in urban areas and 0.6% in rural areas). Rapid urban growth has further intensified energy demands, making the transition to sustainable cooking technologies critical.