By Haika Kimaro
Mtwara. Approximately 400,000 hectares of forest in Tanzania are lost every year due to human activities. Statistics show that Africa loses 3.9 million hectares annually, while the global figure is seven million hectares.
A significant contributor to this deforestation is the cutting of trees for charcoal and firewood, primarily used for cooking.
Amina Hassan, a resident of Naliendele in Mtwara District, explains how she relies on firewood for cooking her family meals. She spends between Sh2,000 and Sh3,000 daily to provide food for her family of seven.
“To prepare three meals for my family, I must buy firewood costing no less than Sh3,000. If I don’t have money, I have to stop everything and go into the forest to cut trees for firewood,” she says.
To address this challenge, the Tanzanian government has initiated a project to connect households to natural gas for cooking. This initiative aims to save forests and combat climate change.
The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) has already connected more than 1,514 households to natural gas for cooking and 13 institutions, including schools, prisons, and hotels.
According to TPDC, one unit of natural gas costs Sh1,000 and can sustain cooking for a family of six for one to two days.
Muhidin Shangwe, a resident and worker at the University of Dar es Salaam, says using natural gas for cooking has significantly reduced his expenses compared to other energy sources.
“Before this project, I used to spend Sh50,000 monthly, but now I only spend Sh20,000. It is also convenient; even in emergencies, I can access the service quickly,” Shangwe says.
Frank Urassa, a food vendor in Sinza, Dar es Salaam, shares a similar experience, noting that natural gas has made his work easier and reduced his costs.
“Previously, I had to spend Sh52,000 on energy for three days. Now, with natural gas, I can cook for eight to nine days with Sh50,000. The savings are evident,” he explains.
Irene Joseph, a beneficiary of the natural gas project in Mtwara, says the service has helped her save both money and time, regardless of the season.
“When using charcoal, prices would skyrocket during the rainy season, and finding it became a hassle. Now, even during heavy rains, I don’t worry,” Irene says.
She adds that although the government connected her to the service for free, the running costs are minimal.
“Before, I had to buy a small gas cylinder for at least Sh20,000, but now, with as little as Sh1,000, I can buy one unit of natural gas to cook for my family. It has truly helped me manage my expenses,” Irene explains.
Institutions also benefit
Beyond households, institutions with large populations, such as Mtwara Technical Secondary School, have adopted natural gas for cooking.
According to the school’s Deputy Headmaster, Babis Bwire, their monthly cooking expenses dropped from Sh6-7 million to Sh1.5-1.7 million after switching to natural gas.
“In terms of costs, we’ve saved from Sh7 million to Sh1.7 million. Academically, it has also been beneficial. When we used firewood, students often had to wait for meals, but now meals are ready on time. We are grateful to the government for this project,” Bwire says.
Teachers at the school have also been connected to the service. Bwire notes that his personal cooking expenses have decreased from Sh90,000 to Sh30,000 per month.
Challenges of firewood
For some, like Somoe Mustafa, a mother of five, firewood remains the primary energy source for cooking. She faces several challenges, including spending significant time collecting firewood and experiencing health issues such as eye irritation from the smoke.
“Using firewood requires me to allocate time to go into the forest to collect it. In the forest, we encounter dangers like snakes and scorpions. At home, the smoke from firewood causes eye irritation—just look at my red eyes,” Somoe says.
Regarding natural gas, Somoe says she has heard about it on the news but lacks the means to switch.
“I’ve heard about cylinder gas and now this other one [natural gas], which you can use like water from a tap. But I think it’s challenging for me because I don’t even have the required stove,” she says.
Expansion plans
According to TPDC, the government plans to connect 980 homes to natural gas through REA I and 1,899 homes through REA II by December 2025.
To qualify for connection, a household must have a robustly built kitchen (brick walls) to support the gas infrastructure.
However, challenges include the high cost of infrastructure and equipment and the lack of dedicated kitchen spaces in many rural homes, where residents cannot afford gas stoves.
Environmental perspective
Fredy Kwenzy, an environmental expert, notes that natural gas or LPG (cylinder gas) is more economical and environmentally friendly compared to firewood and electricity.
“The level of harmful emissions from firewood and charcoal is significantly higher than that from natural gas,” Kwenzy says.
He adds that using natural gas for cooking can improve users’ health, preserve forests, save income, and maintain cleaner homes. Moreover, it supports efforts to mitigate climate change.