Lungelo Ndhlovu
In Hwange District, many households are switching to rocket stoves, a change that is easing pressure on forests, reducing smoke-related illnesses, and saving women long hours spent searching for firewood.
In Sianyanga village, Mabale, Lesina Nkomo explains that the stoves are made using simple, locally available materials.
“We mix soil from anthills, cow dung, and ashes to make the stove,” she said. “After moulding, it takes about a month to dry before it’s ready for use.”
The idea is being promoted by the Soft Foot Alliance, whose creative facilitator, Msungwe Sithole, says the design took years of testing.
“In 2014, Laurie, our boss, tried different designs and materials,” Sithole said. “The final version uses clay and animal manure. When the manure burns out, it leaves tiny air pockets in the walls, and that improves insulation. The air enters from underneath the fuel, and only the tips of the sticks burn. The heat then shoots up like a rocket flame to the pot.”
Women in the district have been trained to build and sell the stoves. The first models had one cooking plate, but after women requested designs that could cook more than one meal at once, a two-plate version was introduced.
The shift has come at a critical time. Firewood in the region is becoming harder to find, and women are facing increasing risks in their search for fuel.
“In our area, firewood is so scarce that the Forestry Commission allows women to enter protected forests only once a week,” Sithole said. “They walk long distances among elephants and buffalo, carry heavy loads on their heads, and lose a whole day to the task. It’s tiring and dangerous.”
Traditional open fires also fill kitchens with smoke, exposing women and children to harmful air. Rocket stoves burn cleaner and require far less fuel, reducing both health risks and deforestation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 2.1 billion people still rely on open fires or inefficient stoves. Household air pollution contributes to millions of premature deaths every year, including respiratory illnesses and heart disease. Children under five and women who spend hours cooking are the most affected.
Forestry Commission spokesperson Violet Makoto said clean energy solutions like rocket stoves are an important climate and conservation tool.
“They reduce reliance on wood fuel, which is one of the major drivers of forest loss in Zimbabwe,” Makoto said. “They help protect forests and biodiversity, while also supporting communities to adapt to climate change.”
With Hwange among the districts already feeling the strain of shifting weather patterns, rocket stoves are proving to be a practical way to help households cook safely without damaging the environment they depend on.
