Environment protection
Uganda derives over 90% of its energy needs from biomass – mainly firewood and charcoal. An estimated forest surface of 115 football fields is used for cooking every day – either in form of firewood or charcoal. Biomass resources are constantly reducing because people are not replenishing the cut down trees. This will also support increased environment degradation, accelerating global warming and the rate of desertification, to mention but a few.
In Uganda, biomass fuel is mainly used for cooking. In helping households and institutions use firewood and charcoal more efficiently, AFHI Uganda hopes to reduce on the rate of amounts of wood cut down, so as to preserve the environment and use our resources sustainably. As such, the Programme promotes the use of energy saving stoves and energy saving cooking techniques and general energy efficiency. Energy saving stoves are affordable, easy to acquire, and easy to construct. They are also environment friendly, using less than half the amount of fuel and release little to no smoke – reducing health risks, especially of women and children.
AFHI Uganda under this thematic area provides the following services;
- Sensitize and train communities on environment protection and hygiene improvement.
- Train communities on improved energy saving cook stoves and charcoal briquettes for energy conservation.
- Conduct community service.
- Tree planting and training on smart agriculture.