TaTEDO is implementing a project for reducing climate change through voluntary offset market on improved firewood saving stoves  in rural areas of Kilimanjaro Region. This is the first voluntary market project in Tanzania.  The project  intends to replace the three-stone fire places (with efficiency of 10 to 15 %) by improved and efficient fire wood stoves (with efficiency of more than 60%). This will result into reduced woodfuels consumption, avoided carbon dioxide emission and indoor air pollution, reduced workload to women and children and conserved forest resources by reducing frequencies of encroaching forest firewood collection.

TaTEDO firewood saving stove with chimney

The pilot phase  of the project involves 10 villages of Rombo and Hai districts. The villages to be involved are Shimbi Kati, Maharo, Kitasha, Mengwe, and Mamsera for Rombo district and Nronga, Kisereni, Mkuu sinde, Uduru and Mkweseko for Hai district. The efficient stoves proposed for this project will add value for traditional technology that uses biomass fuel resources and materials. The technology has been practiced in same villages and shown to have high potential to contribute in woodfuel consumption reduction and to lessen  indoor air pollution.

 The project  will start with 6,000 households in which efficient firewood stoves will be installed. Design of the stove will be adapted considering preferences from women who are the main users of the technology. Local village technicians will be trained on how to construct and repair t stoves. The beneficiary household will contribute labour and construction materials such as water, bricks and sand. The project will contribute 80 % of the cost for 6,000 stoves, which will be constructed in the first round.

The proposed project will contribute to improve livelihood of the people in both aspects (social, economic and environment). 

At local level the proposed project will lead to the following social economic benefits.

• Income Generation

Efficient firewood stoves  will be an income generating activity for the trained village technicians. Income generation for end  users (Households and SMEs)  through spending saved time on other productive activities or from direct saving on the expenditure on firewood.

• Creation of Employment Opportunities

Since installation of stoves involve direct construction of stoves in household, opportunities will be generated for the rural people to procure construction materials and also be involved in construction works. It will create more than 120 new employment opportunities to local people.

•  Reduce Workload for Women and Children

Women and children are the main suppliers of woodfuel. The average time and walking distance for fetching and transporting firewood in many rural areas take 4 hours and 6 kilometres respectively per day. The project reduces time for  women and children to collect firewood and thus, allow them to participate in development activities.

• Health Improvement

A better burning process and chimney in the proposed stoves reduces indoor air pollution. This means that the risk to respiratory diseases will be reduced due to less exposure to toxic pollutants.

 At global level, besides lessening the pressure on bio mass resources, improved woodfuel saving stoves also, will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other green house gases with a high potential for global warming.

For more information:
TaTEDO, P. O. Box 32794, Dar es Salaam. Tanzania.
Tel 255-22-2700438/ 2700771
Email: energy@tatedo.org