Kiambu County Government in partnership with Energy Services Limited (EKI) plans to distribute improved energy saving stoves to reduce deforestation
The project which is piloted in Kiambu and Kajiado counties intends to distribute about 184 improved energy saving cook stoves in the pilot phase and 200,000 stoves in the main phase.
EKI Energy Services Limited, also known as EnKing International, an Indian firm, which focuses on climate change, carbon offsets, and sustainability solutions has launched the zero-investment project targeting households that use traditional three stone cooking places.
According to Mr. Rajiv Sharma EKI Regional Manager the Green Cooking initiative started in 2018 with an aim to provide improved cook stoves (ICS) absolutely free of cost to economically weaker households empowering their kitchens with a cleaner, healthier, safer and efficient cooking solution.
“The stoves help to reduce deforestation because they consume 50% less firewood, Furthermore, the stoves will reduce household pollution, thereby improving household health,” said Sharma
He added that the improved stoves help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases with the reduction in the use of carbon-intensive fuel – firewood
“Every household using an improved cooker stove reduces their smoke emissions by up to 30% to 40% reducing the health risk of every member in the household especially that of the person cooking food” he added
Kiambu county Chief Officer Water and Natural Resources, Jennifer Musyoki who also attended the training for trainers on pilot-phase stove distribution in the County lauded the project saying the project will also enhance the economic well-being of beneficiaries as more time will be used on income generation not on fetching firewood
“With this Jiko we will not need to walk endless kilometers every day just to bring back a pile of wood to make a family meal” she said
According to AKI international 3 billion people globally continue to still use polluting biomass fuels for their everyday cooking and there are over 4 million deaths reported every year from lung diseases due to smoke emissions, with 12% of these being infants.
By Grace Naishoo
