The Ministry of Energy, in partnership with the Tanzania Meat Board, has launched a new initiative to encourage meat roasters in markets across the country to adopt clean cooking energy.
The move aims to reduce the use of environmentally harmful fuels while protecting the health of meat vendors and the wider community.
During a visit to Matima Investment in Kibaha District, Pwani Region a company producing modern gas-powered meat grills Nolasco Mlay, Director of Clean Cooking Energy at the Ministry of Energy, highlighted the importance of transitioning to clean, safe, and efficient cooking methods.
“Using clean energy not only protects the environment but also improves health and productivity for meat vendors,” Mlay said.
“Through our partnership with the Tanzania Meat Board, we will continue to promote these technologies in markets nationwide, as the Board regulates and supports stakeholders in the meat sector.”he added
The visit brought together Ministry officials, Meat Board experts, and CRDB Bank managers to discuss strategies for ensuring all meat markets adopt modern, clean-energy grills.
Mlay called on development partners, especially financial institutions, to provide low-interest loans to meat vendors to help them afford these modern grills.
This will help vendors move away from charcoal and firewood toward cleaner, eco-friendly technologies.
Rose Kazimoto, CRDB Bank Manager for Pwani Region, said the bank is ready to support meat vendors and grill manufacturers to increase the production and use of clean cooking energy.
She urged meat vendors to register with the Tanzania Meat Board and operate within an organized system to make monitoring and access to loans easier.
“Given that many meat vendors frequently move, it is important to form stable groups that last at least three years,” Kazimoto said. “Loliondo Market is already well-organized and qualifies for CRDB loans.”
Pendo Msaki, Officer at the Clean Cooking Energy Desk within the Tanzania Meat Board, said the Board is finalizing a draft ban on charcoal and firewood in meat markets to protect the environment and improve vendor health.
She stressed that all meat vendors should register with the Board to receive official certification and recognition.
Msaki added that the Board will begin distributing clean-energy grills on loan in markets including Loliondo–Kibaha and Pugu in Dar es Salaam as part of implementing the initiative.
The initiative is expected to transform meat roasting practices nationwide, reducing environmental damage, improving public health, and boosting efficiency for vendors.