Improving livelihoods, decreasing deforestation and promoting peace

Charcoal consumption and its impact on deforestation is a major development issue in sub-Saharan Africa. In Goma, in the east of the DRC (population 1.5 million), 92% of households rely mainly on charcoal for cooking. Legal tree plantations are not sufficient to meet the demand for cooking energy and, as a result, most of the demand is met by charcoal illegally produced in the protected forests of the Virunga National Park (PNVi).

The “Electric cooking and sustainable development” project supports the use of electric cooking as an alternative to charcoal. In partnership with energy supplier Virunga Energies, an entity of the PNVi, a new generation of energy-efficient electric pressure cookers (EPCs or eCookers) will be distributed in the Goma region to test their potential. Advances in automation, insulation and pressurisation have considerably increased the efficiency of these EPCs, making them more price-competitive than charcoal. However, eCookers are still not widely available, partly because manufacturers are unaware of the demand outside other major dynamic cities in the rest of the continent, such as Nairobi and Kigali. The project will also evaluate in itinere an experimental dissemination programme using the most advanced econometric analysis techniques.

The 2021 pilot study of 1,500 households using the EPC confirmed the drastic reduction in charcoal consumption in favour of electricity. In mid-2022, with Tanzanian partner SESCOM, a batch of eCookers/EPCs with demonstration sessions and cookbooks was distributed. Trained ambassadors were then able to collect a range of information from beneficiaries, particularly on use and satisfaction. Pre-analysed in October, the data showed that the eCookers/EPC were being used, almost without difficulty, for at least half of their hot meals.

Virunga Energies’ ongoing monitoring of electricity consumption has also made it possible to analyse the impact of EPC distribution. After 4 months, an initial check showed an increase of 24kWh (USD 6) in household electricity consumption. A meal cooked with EPC requires around 0.75kWh, which covers 32 hot meals a month, well over half the meals cooked in a household each month.

In addition, the reduction in demand for charcoal has had an impact on the illegal income of smugglers, improving conservation efforts in one of the world’s largest tropical forests. In summary, the expected benefits are

• Progressive replacement of charcoal cooking by electricity
• Reduction in energy costs and subsequent increase in the use of electricity
• Gradual elimination of illegal charcoal consumption
• Weakening of a key source of income for armed groups, improving security in the area
• Increased income and improved health conditions for local people
• Empowerment of women
• Reduce deforestation, limit CO2 emissions, protect wildlife

The final survey, expected in March 2023, will be followed by a second batch of 500 cookers in April 2023.

Post-intervention data collection is underway, and there will be a further phase of testing and data collection during the year. Funding: for the fieldwork, funds came from AFD via the FID, the FCDO and the CEPR’s PEDL entrepreneurship programme in low-income countries, as well as LabEx CEMEB, I-Site MUSE (Univ. Montpellier). For staff, funding came mainly from FWO grants.