Banteay Meas district in Kampot province was declared Cambodia’s first “smoke-free” district on January 16. Residents in the district have completely ceased the use of charcoal or wood for cooking and have shifted to alternative energy sources such as electricity and gas.

This initiative was led by the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) in collaboration with the Banteay Meas district administration. The goal was to transform the district into Cambodia’s first completely "smoke-free" area.

SNV began working on the programme in early 2022 to reduce the social, economic, environmental and health impacts which stem from traditional cooking methods. At the start of the programme, only about 41 per cent of families in the district used clean fuel sources, such as electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), solar stoves or biogas.

Currently, almost all families in the district, comprising approximately 92,000 individuals, have adopted clean cooking practices. This shift has improved their health and overall quality of life.

SNV is implementing the Smoke-Free Village programme in 487 villages across four provinces: Kampot, Kampong Speu, Siem Reap and Battambang. Banteay Meas district was the first to achieve the programme’s goals.

“This achievement reflects the power of community-driven change and showcases Cambodia’s leadership in addressing sustainable energy challenges. I hope similar efforts will be replicated globally, highlighting the impact of clean cooking initiatives,” said Alexandra Mandelbaum, SNV Cambodia’s country director.

Por Nimol, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Mines and Energy, emphasised the importance of the “Smoke-Free Village” programme in improving public health and environmental sustainability by eliminating the use of charcoal and wood. He added that this project contributes to the government’s goal of achieving at least 70 per cent clean energy usage by 2030.