Dar es Salaam. The government is finalising procedures to establish a Clean Cooking Energy Fund aimed at subsidising cooking gas prices to make it affordable for low-income households in Tanzania.
The Deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Khamis Hamza Khamis, informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water and Environment in Dodoma on Thursday, 16 January 2025 that the regulations governing carbon trading projects provide for subsidies through carbon credits.
Carbon credits are derived from reduced reliance on environmentally harmful energy sources.
“These subsidies are part of national efforts to reduce costs for users of clean energy solutions,” Khamis, who was making a presentation to the MPs, of the implementation report on the committee’s resolutions from its February 2024 annual session, said.
Mr Khamis further informed the committee that, as part of efforts to reduce the cost of alternative energy, the government has signed preliminary agreements with investors for subsidies amounting to Sh8.64 billion for clean cooking energy.
These agreements have facilitated the provision of subsidies for 452,455 cooking stoves.
Additionally, the Deputy Minister outlined ongoing government efforts to promote the adoption of alternative energy sources through various public awareness initiatives, including media campaigns and leadership outreach programmes.
He highlighted collaboration between the Vice President’s Office and other stakeholders, such as the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (TAMISEMI) and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS).
This cooperation seeks to encourage and ensure that village councils identify and designate suitable village forests for inclusion in carbon trading schemes.
Honourable Khamis elaborated that community awareness campaigns on the significance of carbon trading in environmental conservation and income generation are ongoing.
He emphasised the government’s commitment to overseeing these initiatives to ensure that carbon trading agreements benefit local communities and comply with established regulations.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water and Environment, chaired by Jackson Kiswaga, commended the Vice President’s Office for convening stakeholders to address environmental challenges collaboratively.
The committee underscored the importance of sustained environmental education to raise awareness and curb destructive practices such as tree cutting and burning.
Moreover, the committee called for intensified education on clean energy.
It observed that many rural residents lack awareness of the benefits of clean cooking energy, which hinders their transition from traditional sources like firewood and charcoal.
The Permanent Secretary in the Vice President’s Office, Engineer Cyprian Luhemeja, added that, as of 30 December 2024, 65 applications for carbon trading projects had been received.
He explained that six projects had received letters of approval to commence the process, while six others were undergoing assessment to meet the required criteria.
