Innovators expanding clean cooking access in Cambodia's remote communities

The Higher Tier Cooking Component (HTCC) is strengthening Cambodia’s clean cooking supply chain by enabling rural small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to reach remote communities with modern cooking solutions. Through an Innovation Fund, HTCC supports five standout innovators among 65 rural SMEs with financial and in-kind assistance to scale operations, diversify products, expand distribution, and adopt innovative sales strategies.  

 This learning brief showcases the five grassroots entrepreneurs who evolved into changemakers and successfully grew their businesses, built local sales networks, and drove behavioural change toward clean cooking. Key strategies include mobile marketing campaigns across 159 villages, recruiting and training 90 sales agents, providing after-sales maintenance services, and engaging communities through hands-on cooking demonstrations. Lessons learned affirm that small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), when given targeted support, simplified procedures, and peer mentoring, can drive sustainable energy transitions in underserved communities - rapidly expand clean cooking access, improve rural health, and reducing environmental impacts. 

SNV in Cambodia. (2025). Innovators Expanding Clean Cooking Access in Cambodia’s Remote Communities. SNV. 

European Commission, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danida, EnDev, and RVO.

Visit SNV’s Cambodia project page or contact: cambodia@snv.org