Singida plans clean cooking for 400,000 homes

SINGIDA: SINGIDA Region is targeting 400,000 households to adopt clean cooking energy by 2034 as part of efforts to reduce reliance on charcoal and firewood and protect the environment.

Regional Commissioner, Ms Halima Dendego, announced the target yesterday when she opened a seminar on investment and the use of clean cooking energy organised by the Tanzania Women Empowerment Network (TAWEN) in Singida Municipality.

Ms Dendego said the region was committed to becoming a leader in the adoption of clean cooking energy while reducing the environmental damage associated with the continued use of charcoal and firewood.

“The region has already made progress in expanding access to electricity, with all 441 villages connected to the national grid, representing 100 per cent coverage,” she said.

However, she said only 1,208 of the region’s 2,289 hamlets had been connected, equivalent to 52.77 per cent, with work continuing to reach the remaining 1,081 hamlets.

Ms Dendego said the government had also supported the distribution of more than 7,600 improved cookstoves and 21,930 gas stoves to residents through subsidies as part of efforts to encourage the adoption of cleaner cooking methods.

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She said clean energy use should go hand in hand with environmental conservation, particularly tree planting, to reduce pressure on forests caused by demand for firewood and charcoal.

The RC also pledged to allocate 100 acres to TAWEN to establish a training centre for women and young people in Singida.

“The initiative will provide practical agricultural training through demonstration farms and support efforts to increase the participation of women and young people in economic activities,” Ms Dendego said.

Ms Dendego further said that the initiative would also contribute to making Singida a major producer of sunflower, one of the region’s important agricultural crops.

The seminar brought together government leaders, development stakeholders and residents to discuss clean cooking energy and ways of increasing the participation of women and young people in economic, social and political development.

The seminar was held under the theme, “Clean cooking energy, save lives and the environment.” Participants discussed investment opportunities in clean cooking energy and ways of increasing public awareness and adoption of cleaner cooking technologies.