Mali

Through a first-ever partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN), Solar Cookers International (SCI) is working alongside the government of Mali to expand existing solar cooking programs in both rural and urban settings.

Why Solar Cooking in Mali?

Access to clean cooking in Mali is limited and uneven:

• 95% of the urban population relies on polluting fuels like firewood.
• Rural areas often have no clean alternatives, with some communities cooking solely with dried cow dung.
• Heavy reliance on wood contributes to deforestation, ecosystem degradation, and climate vulnerability.
• Women in Mali bear the brunt of this crisis, spending hours gathering fuel and facing health risks from smoke inhalation.

The Malian government has made clean cooking a national priority to:

• Strengthen resilience to climate change, with an emphasis on women’s leadership.
• Sustainably manage wood resources and protect ecosystems.
• Improve the security, health, and economic well-being of rural women.

 

SCI’s Role

Building on Mali’s existing momentum, SCI is helping to expand and scale solar cooking programs:

• Solar cookers are manufactured in partnership with an established local manufacturer.
• The program focuses on empowering women as leaders in adoption and advocacy.
• SCI is working with local collaborators to create income-generating opportunities for youth and women connected to solar cooking.

Impact

• 170 solar cookers (+120 complimentary technologies) distributed across 2 pilot communities.
• 4 different solar cooker designs utilized.
• 2400+ people directly benefiting from solar cooking adoption.
• Development of a roadmap for scaling solar cooking across Mali.

By scaling solar cooking in Mali, SCI is helping communities reduce fuel costs, improve health outcomes, empower women, and protect local ecosystems—all while building resilience against climate change.