The move by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to battle the use of inefficient biomass has seen over 10,000 bioethanol cook stoves assembled locally and sold to Dar es Salaam based households.
UNIDO Deputy Representative, Mr Gerald Runyoro said in Dar es Salaam recently that the five year project, which started in 2020, aims to reduce the use of inefficient biomass, mainly charcoal and wood, which degrade the environment and aggravate climate change and its effects.
"UNIDO wishes to clarify that this project has started with a good foot supplying over ten thousand stoves. This is not a small achievement considering that it needed a lot of awareness raising interventions because it is a new product in the country," he said.
He said the project promoting the use of bioethanol for cooking, initially targeting to distribute 500,000 stoves in Dar es Salaam region has been a great milestone than a failure as it was reported before.
The project is facilitated by UNIDO in cooperation with the Vice President's Office and the Ministry of Energy to promote green energy against uses of firewood and charcoal which exacerbate deforestation.
He added that the intervention is receiving increasing political support and the private sector is demonstrating interest to invest in bioethanol production, assembling and later manufacturing the bioethanol cook stoves in the country and demand by households for this clean and renewable energy cooking technology is increasing.
Mr Runyoro also points on mobilizing bioethanol fuel production by small and large scale producers as well as its safe bottling to reach customers.
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"On this, the project has reached out potential bioethanol producers and enlightened them on how sufficient the prospective market was and this aims at making them produce this important product".
The value chain of using bioethanol for cooking has enormous potential for creating decent employment opportunities, improving enterprises' cash flows and broadening the economy.
A resident of Kimara, in Dar es Salaam Region, Ms Doreen Phidelis said that the stove is free from dangerous smokes which charcoal and firewood produce.
She added apart from being flexible, with zero risk of explosion, the stove also has value for money as it is cheaper to use comparing to charcoal. It also swiftly catches fire and it is easy to switch off when cooking is done."
Initially, the project was funded by Global Environment Facility which is headquartered in Washington DC New stakeholders are participating in promoting the use of bioethanol for cooking, including the European Union which is also funding some of the undertakings being implemented by UNIDO and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
