By Dorica Mtenje
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-As one way of assisting government in addressing the leading driver of deforestation and forest degradation in the country, Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources in conjunction with Modern Cooking for Healthy Forests (MCHF) has launched modern cooking healthy forest project.
The US$ 1.1 million performance based grant (PBG) project funded by USAID and UK aid is aiming at promoting cooking energies and technologies and sustainable bios fuel supply and it will help the supply of cleaner cooking energies.
Speaking during the launch of the Fund in Lilongwe on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, Energy Minister Ibrahim Matola said illegal charcoal production is one of the contributing factor to climate change that should be handled with caution.
Matola said the Malawi Clean Cooking Fund performance based grants is one step ahead of combating illegal charcoal production in the country.
He urged the six private organisation who received PBG to support the delivery of cleaner cooking solution in the districts of Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba.
He said government is optimistic that the grant will improve fuel technologies and market production of legal charcoal.
On behalf of USAID and UK Aid, USAID Director for sustainable economic growth,Anna Toness said will continue supporting the project to make sure that the country adopt the clean cooking initiative.
Toness added that USAID and UK Aid believe that the grant will be used to the extended purpose.
One of the organizations benefited from the grant, 265 Energy switch Gas Project Officer, Alinafe Kashoti applauded MCHF for the grant which she says will improve the accessibility of liquefied petroleum gas by locating access point closer to the end users.
