Addressing Health and Environmental Impacts of Reliance on Solid Fuel and Kerosene for Cooking in Cameroon: Strengths and Challenges of the National LPG Masterplan

摘要

Background: Cameroon relies on biomass fuel (mainly wood) for cooking, (88% rural population), with important health, deforestation and climatic consequences. The Government aims to increase Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) use from < 20% to 58% of the population by 2035 and developed a Masterplan (2016) to achieve this goal via a multi-sectoral committee (ministries, national agencies, private sector and the Global LPG Partnership). An Investment Committee was established to oversee implementation. Objectives: To document and evaluate the Cameroon national process for LPG scale-up. Methods: The RE-AIM framework structured data collection and reporting: secondary data (socio-economic development, energy situation, policy); Masterplan documentation; LPG market expert and national stakeholder interviews; and LPG Adoption in Cameroon Evaluation (LACE) study data (community data on fuel use, stacking, barriers to LPG use, microloan schemes, impacts on particulate air pollution (PM2.5) and health). A logic model compared Masterplan proposals with issues reported by users and stakeholders. Findings: Masterplan recommended: €400 million investment to 2030 to increase LPG cylinders by 7 million, infrastructure developments (storage, transport, distribution and retail facilities), enhanced market regulation, national harmonisation of refill price and cylinder import tax reductions. The LACE studies highlighted user concerns about costs, safety, access, supply and cooking traditional foods. Stakeholders proposed increasing microfinance initiatives, LPG promotion, user support and health system engagement to promote clean fuels. Conclusions: The Masterplan has the potential to address problems of LPG access and supply and improve industry safety. Microfinance is supported and new pricing arrangements may lower cylinder deposit costs. Users' concerns (affordability, access, safety, traditional cooking) need consideration. Programme monitoring and evaluation is recommended.