17.03.2026

As part of a field trip to Ethiopia, ETH-Soil team members Dr. Clement Owusu-Prempeh and Jan Kossack together with Dr. Getachew Eshete visited the production facilities of the new Michuu Cookstove to check on the status of local manufacturing and discuss both ongoing and upcoming activities with partner organisations. During the trip, potential production bottlenecks were identified, institutional readiness for scaling up was assessed, and financial and operational aspects were discussed with relevant stakeholders.

The stove, which was developed by the DBFZ in Leipzig, is currently being manufactured in the Oromia Agricultural Research Center (OARI) workshops in Jimma/Dedo and Asella/Kofele, where 50 units are being produced for an upcoming test phase. This is why the DBFZ team visited the workshops and clay manufacturing sites to assess the progress. 

The team presented the Michuu cookstove in Addis Ababa in a public demonstration event, 'Talk Energy Ahead (TEA)’, organised by the Ethiopian Clean Cooking Alliance (ECCA). The cookstove was presented to Ethiopian and international experts, and its technical features and potential for reducing emissions and improving soil health were demonstrated in practice. The focus was on topics such as pyrolysis technology, energy production from agricultural residues, biochar use for soil remediation and local production models. The event was attended by over 60 representatives from government, research, business and civil society – a sign of the diversity and dynamic nature of the Ethiopian clean energy sector.

The subsequent train-the-trainer session once again provided an opportunity for close exchange with experts from ECCA and OARI, who provided valuable feedback and inspiration for the further development of the stove.

The presentation of the Michuu Cookstove marked a significant step towards cleaner and more sustainable cooking energy for rural households. In the coming months, the ETH-Soil project plans to conduct a test phase with target groups, obtain licensing and to further expand partnerships. The response from producers, partners, institutions, experts and multipliers has been consistently positive: there is strong interest and commitment within Ethiopia to advance the transition to sustainable cooking solutions.