100 Renewable BIOGAS for Climate in Rural Tanzania

Challenge

More than 90% of Households in Tanzania are still depending on firewood or charcoal for cooking. On average they spend approximately 35% of their incomes on basic energy services - a substantial amount for many low-income Tanzanians. The overwhelming dependence on biomass for meeting basic cooking and heating needs is a major cause of poverty in Tanzania. It also causes health problems to women and girls; and leads to deforestation, soil degradation, and climate change.

Solution

TAHUDE Foundation will give biogas loans to households. TAHUDE has been giving biogas loans for 4 years; a total of 90 biogas systems by Sept 2016. Based on this evidence-based experience, TAHUDE realized that some potential clients are hesitating to take biogas loans due to a short repayment period of one year; which was set to get back the money and be able to give biogas loans to new customers. With your support we will increase the revolving fund and extend the repayment period to two years.

Long-Term Impact

The 100 biogas systems will serve 300 tons of trees/firewood that would have been cut per year. It will add 6,000 tons of organic fertilizer for crop production. Women and girls health will improve due to less exposure to smoke when cooking. They will also have more time for other important economic activities (instead of collecting firewood for cooking). The trees that will not be cut will help improve the environment; reduce climate change. The revolving fund will replicate to new biogas loans

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources