KAMPALA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Tuesday started the nationwide distribution of free Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) kits aimed at interesting households to shift from using wood fuel for cooking.
Ruth Nankabirwa, minister of energy and mineral development in a statement issued here said one million kits would be distributed as starter packs to homes that can not afford the initial cost of cooking gas.
"This intervention targets LPG cooking energy to grow from the current 0.8 percent to 20 percent of Ugandan households by the year 2030," she said. The pack includes 13kg cylinders with accessories and a cook stove.
"The government of Uganda intends to support the development and use of LPG as an efficient and clean cooking technology and a viable alternative for a sustainable environment," she added.
Over the years, heavy reliance on biomass (firewood and charcoal) as the primary cooking energy has eroded Uganda's national tree cover with adverse effects on the environment and the health of the population, according to the minister.
According to the state-run National Environment Management Authority, the country has registered better forest cover in recent years, despite increasing cases of illegal logging and forest destruction by encroachers. The country's net forest cover rose from 9 percent in 2017 to 13 percent in 2020. ■
