Description of the programme/ objectives
Access to clean cooking solutions remains limited in East Africa. In 2020, only 14% of the population had access to clean and efficient cooking solutions, while 49% had electricity. Tanzania and Uganda have over 100 million people without access, with just 5.4% and 6% of their populations using clean cooking technologies in 2021. Transitioning to clean cooking solutions is critical for public health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting natural resources, and improving living conditions, particularly for women and children. Tanzania has developed a 10-year national clean cooking strategy, reflecting strong government commitment to advancing clean cooking.
During the Paris Clean Cooking Summit in May 2024, France pledged to invest €100 million by 2030 to promote a just and inclusive transition towards universal access to clean and efficient cooking solutions and to reduce pressure on biomass and deforestation. The French Development Agency (AFD) is playing a catalytic role in advancing this ambition through the Biomass Energy Africa (BEA) program in East Africa, which contributes to the transition to universal access to clean and efficient cooking by promoting commercial clean cooking solutions.
BEA is a technical assistance (TA) program supporting companies, donors, and investors involved in the clean cooking sector. It is currently being implemented in Tanzania and Uganda through to the end of Q3 2027. Specifically, the objectives of the program are to:
- Offer tailored, on-the-ground TA to selected local companies to help them strengthen their business models and operational excellence, scale up, and/or access financing. In Tanzania, the program is engaging and supporting a cohort of high-potential companies commercialising clean cooking solutions.
- Help donors and investors invest in or include these companies in their programs.
- Support governments and regulators on their programs involving the private sector.
BEA is implemented by Hystra, a strategy consulting firm specialised in inclusive business model innovation and energy access based in France.
Description of the services provided/ main activities
As a local coordination partner for Tanzania, Prime Expertise serves as the BEA program’s in-country focal point, responsible for coordinating local implementation; monitoring and reporting on program’s progress; engaging key stakeholders, including financial institutions and government actors; and managing in-country logistics and administration to ensure smooth operations and financial oversight.