Tanzania could prevent the loss of at least 400,000 hectares of forest annually if households move away from charcoal and firewood and adopt clean cooking solutions, a senior official from the Ministry of Energy has said.
Geologist Nsajigwa Maclean issued the call in Songwe on Saturday, August 16, 2025, while educating women and entrepreneurs on the benefits of clean cooking energy.
He warned that heavy reliance on traditional fuels continues to endanger both human health and the environment.
“According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, only 16 percent of Tanzanians use clean cooking energy. This means a vast majority are still exposed to harmful smoke, which causes over 33,000 deaths in the country every year,” Mr. Nsajigwa said.
He explained that Tanzania’s forests remain under severe pressure due to rising demand for charcoal and firewood. The destruction, he said, worsens drought and accelerates the impacts of climate change.
At the global level, he noted, some 2.1 billion people still lack access to clean cooking energy. More than three million of them die annually from health complications linked to unsafe cooking fuels, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for over 960 million people still without alternatives.
Mr. Nsajigwa challenged the persistent misconception that food prepared with gas or electricity loses taste, saying there is no scientific evidence to support such claims.
“This belief continues to hold many households back from transitioning to safer and cleaner options,” he stressed.
The Ministry of Energy has set out a National Clean Cooking Strategy that seeks to expand the use of clean cooking solutions to at least 80 percent of Tanzanians by 2034. The strategy borrows lessons from countries such as India and Ghana, which have made significant progress in reducing dependency on traditional fuels.
Mr. Nsajigwa said the real challenge is not reluctance among citizens but limited awareness. He called on stakeholders including private players, NGOs, and local leaders to partner with the government in implementing the Clean Cooking Communication Strategy to intensify public education.
During the Songwe session, women and entrepreneurs were encouraged to become ambassadors of change, championing clean cooking not only for their health but also as a way to protect forests, preserve the environment, and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.