FAO, GBEP lead dialogues exploring bioethanol as a sustainable clean cooking fuel alternative in Rwanda
Rome, Italy – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP), is hosting a national workshop in Kigali, Rwanda on 10 September 2024, bringing together government officials, experts, researchers, private sector representatives, and civil society leaders to discuss strategies to enhance access to modern cooking technologies and promote bioethanol as a clean cooking fuel across the country.
Over 80 percent of Rwanda’s population rely on traditional biomass such as firewood and charcoal for cooking, resulting in serious environmental and health consequences, including deforestation, indoor air pollution, and respiratory illnesses.
Bioethanol, derived from plant-based sources like cassava, can be a good cooking fuel alternative as it burns cleanly and produces minimal smoke, thereby reducing indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as associated health risks, while also decreasing the pressure on forest resources.
Despite its potential, the adoption of bioethanol as a cooking fuel has been slow due to limited infrastructure and supply chain networks for ethanol production, distribution and storage, relatively high cost of ethanol appliances and fuel, and lack of awareness regarding safety standards and regulations.
The upcoming national workshop, with funding support from the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS), aims to look into the environmental, social, and economic factors in local bioethanol production and use; build consensus on necessary standards and policies to ensure the sustainability of the bioethanol sector; and identify financing mechanisms and investment opportunities to drive the sector’s development.
“This workshop brings together diverse voices and expertise and lays the groundwork to achieve better health outcomes, improve the environment and enhance the quality of life of many communities in Rwanda. With strong partnership and commitment to this shared vision, we are making crucial steps forward to make clean cooking accessible for all,” said Tiziana Pirelli, GBEP Coordinator.
The national workshop is part of the GBEP-led project “International dialogues on bioethanol as a clean cooking fuel in selected countries in Africa and Asia”, also supported by USDA-FAS. Rwanda is among the selected pilot countries in Africa, along with Uganda, which is holding its national dialogue on 12 September.
