A clean cooking initiative is helping rural families in Bhutan move away from traditional firewood-based cooking, with hundreds of households set to receive subsidised electric stoves under a pilot programme that could eventually be expanded across the country.
Around 100 households in remote communities of Chhumey Gewog in Bumthang have received electric cooking stoves under the initiative, launched by the Horticulture Association of Bhutan in partnership with India-based sustainability and climate solutions company Planethos Private Limited.
For many families in rural Bhutan, firewood continues to be an essential source of energy, used both for preparing meals and heating homes. However, gathering firewood can require considerable time and physical effort, while its use for cooking exposes families to smoke and indoor air pollution.
The pilot project seeks to address these challenges by making electric cooking more affordable and accessible.
Each stove is priced at Nu 3,500, but beneficiary households contribute only Nu 600. The remaining cost is borne by the Horticulture Association of Bhutan and Planethos Private Limited.
For elderly residents and households with limited capacity to collect firewood, the transition could make everyday cooking considerably easier.
“Besides benefiting elderly people like us, it will also benefit the environment. With the electric cooker, we will not have to collect firewood,” said Gembo, a resident of Trakar in Chhumey Gewog.
Access to liquefied petroleum gas is also difficult for some families in remote areas, particularly those without their own transport.
“Firstly, we are unable to collect firewood from the forest as we do not have a male member at home. Even if we own LPG cylinders, refilling is not easy without a vehicle,” said Karma Yangzom, a resident of Gaytsa.
Project officials say the benefits extend beyond convenience. Reducing dependence on firewood could help lower household exposure to smoke while easing pressure on forest resources and cutting carbon emissions.
Tshering Wangchuk (PhD), CEO of the Horticulture Association of Bhutan, said women and children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of smoke from traditional cooking fires.
“We cannot imagine how difficult it is when women carry their children on their backs while making a fire for cooking. The smoke can harm both the child and the mother. So, with these electric cookers, we want you to stay away from the smoke and take care of your health,” he said.
The pilot is also being extended beyond Bumthang, with another 100 households in Gangtey Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang expected to receive electric cooking stoves.
The two locations will serve as an initial test for a much larger programme. If the pilot proves successful, the Horticulture Association of Bhutan and Planethos Private Limited plan to scale up the initiative and distribute as many as 30,000 electric cooking stoves to households across Bhutan.
According to project officials, replacing traditional cooking methods with electric alternatives could reduce carbon emissions by around 1.2 tonnes per household each year.
Beyond reducing emissions, widespread adoption of electric cooking could lessen the burden of firewood collection, improve indoor air quality and provide rural households with a more convenient source of cooking energy.
The initiative also aligns with Bhutan’s broader efforts to promote cleaner household energy and reduce dependence on firewood, while supporting the country’s commitment to maintaining its carbon-negative status.
