`Set funds for renewal energy, REA not enough`

By The guardian reporter

Rural Energy Agency (REA)

Setting aside budget funds for renewable energy and not relying on projects under the national grid and the Rural Energy Agency (REA) is vital because sustainable biomass yield per annum is about 24.3 million cubic meters  while annual demand is around 40 million cubic meters for household use, an expert has stated.


Baruani Iddi, a trainer with INADES-Formation (T) said in a training session in Kisarawe district of Coast Region that most of the country’s population relies on biomass for cooking, namely firewood for 79 percent and charcoal for 14 percent of the population.

Those participating in the training stated their willingness to adopt renewable energy methods, in the workshop organized by the Tanzania Grassroots Oriented Development (TAGRODE), an Iringa -based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) dedicated to environmental preservation countrywide.

“Available data show that the annual deficit on demand is 15.7million cubic meters that is harvested by methods causing deforestation. Two million people are currently relying on firewood for lighting, in which case the government should keenly consider projects initiated by NGOs to attain sustainability as even REA doesn’t reach most remote areas,” said the trainer.

Geofrey Mbwambo, the Principal Agricultural Field Officer (PAFO) with Kiluvya Ward in the district, said that there are enough pastoralists in his area who can make biogas energy adoption successful, but to make it possible in the whole region, the government should intervene in terms of cost sharing.

As starting gear, he recommended, the government would have to reintroduce the “borrow a cow, repay a cow” program to make most dwellers part time pastoralists, since TAGRODE’s focus is biogas projects through livestock waste.

“Once we are all pastoralists, the government should bear costs in term of infrastructure construction since it costs about two million shillings to put up one biogas plant,” he said, noting that this estimate was gained in experience in workshops.

He expressed the view that the cost is affordable as cost advance in each family hold, to be topped up by the government as pastoralists have milk cooperatives where they sell produce and earn monthly cash.

To make it easier, the government’s contribution in totality should reach the community through subsidizing all renewable energy equipments and let people choose which technology to adopt according to resources available around them, participants suggested.

The renewable energy pilot project in the district should wind up at the end of this month,  with TAGRODE Executive Director Zubery Mwachulla noting that to make the projects sustainable largely depends on the government’s cooperation.

“For further investments, history teaches that sponsors are normally influenced by government response. We, NGOs are also triggered by the same, which means we look forward to requesting more from WWF who have been sponsoring this project once the government appreciates and supports the work done,” the director underlined.

Kisarawe district council had extended support in term of mobilization and sensitization among residents of the area, he added.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN