THE government has been advised to direct more investment in alternative sources of energy such as solar to enable the hard to reach areas get access to safe and reliable lighting.
By investing in renewable sources of energy, it will help the country to reduce the rate of carbon emission to the environment caused by hydroelectric power generation.
For renewable energy, which has a strong environmental incentive, solar energy is expected to help tackle the country’s carbon footprint and its subsequent burden on the environment.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Women Entrepreneurship through the Solar Value chain for Economic development (WESoLVE), Mr Gregory Nyalale made the call in Dar es Salaam, yesterday, calling upon them to subsidise solar products to make them more affordable to individuals in hard-to reach areas.
“Tanzania’s climate and geographical positioning make solar energy a viable source throughout the year, giving room for more people in the country including those in the hard to reach areas to get access to safe and reliable source of power,” said Mr Nyalale.
The WESoLVE project which is being coordinated by BRAC Maendeleo is committed to improving employment and economic opportunities for women and providing access to clean energy in rural Tanzania.
Through the project, he said, a total of 9,887 rural women entrepreneurs from regions including Tanga, Arusha, Mwanza and Manyara have benefited with clean energy products which have helped to boost their socio-economic status and well-being.
According to him, the project which is being financed by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and co-implemented by BRAC Microfinance, Solar Sister Organisation and D.Light Tanzania women, have boosted their incomes, reduced the cost of operating their business and respiratory diseases.
Similarly, children of the beneficiary households have outstandingly improved their performances in schools compared to the previous times.
“A survey carried out last year, showed that the beneficiaries have recorded an average increase of their incomes by 3.8m/- per annum, which is equivalent to over 300,000/- monthly incomes as compared to 200,000/- which was being generated,” he noted.
On the other hand, the beneficiaries have been able to reduce the running costs of their businesses up to over 100,000/-, which was previously used to buy kerosene to light their business centres for longer hours.
He, however, disclosed that most of the beneficiaries had previously suffered from respiratory diseases but after adopting the solar use, the rate of illness went down from 16 per cent to 7 per cent.
“Based on the achievements which have been recorded and due to an on-increased demand of solar in other parts, we call other parties to venture into the clean energy business in eradicating poverty within the country,” Nyalale stressed.
