Nishati ya miti yachangia kutunza mazingira

Nishati ya miti yachangia kutunza mazingira

Nishati ya miti yachangia kutunza mazingira

2007-09-06 10:37:44
Na Moris Lyimo
Nipashe

Tanzania ni miongoni mwa nchi zinazoongoza kwa kutumia nishati itokanayo na miti hivyo kufanya mabadiliko ya kasi ya tabia nchi.

Ushirikiano wa serikali za Tanzania na Ujerumani (GTZ) umekuja na teknolojia rafiki wa mazingira inayolenga kupunguza matumizi ya kuni na mkaa kwa kutumia majiko yatambulikanayo kama Roketi. Mwandishi Moris Lyimo anaelezea zaidi

Mbinu mbalimbali zimekuwa zikifanyika kupata suluhisho la kudumu la uharibifu na uchafunzi wa mazingira ambavyo vimekuwa na athari mbaya katika maisha.

Uharibifu na uchafunzi wa mazingira unaelezewa kuwa, ni kikwazo cha maendeleo ya nchi zinazoendelea, hasa katika uzalishaji wa mazao, kutokana na mabadiliko ya tabia ya nchi kuwa jangwa na ongezeko la joto.

Nchi zilizo Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara zinazotambulikana kama AFRIKUSA zikiwemo nchi za Jumuiya ya Maendeleo ya Kusini mwa Afrika (SADC) zinaongoza kwa kutumia nishati itokanayo na miti.

Tafiti zinabainisha kuwa sababu kubwa ni umasikini wa kipato unaokabili zaidi ya asilimia 70 ya wananchi wake ikiwemo
Tanzania, kutokana na sehemu kubwa ya jamii katika nchi hizo kuishi maisha ya umasikini uliokithiri kwa mfano, kula chakula chenye thamani ya nusu hadi dola moja kwa siku.

Kutokana na hali hiyo, jamii hizo hulazimika kufanya shughuli zenye madhara makubwa kwa taifa, mfano ukataji wa mkaa, uuzaji wa magogo na kuni, lengo ikiwa ni jitihada zao za mwisho katika kujitafutia rikizi.

Matokeo yake mandhari na tabia ya nchi hubadilika na zaidi ongezeko la joto kutokana na ukame, shughuli za uzalishaji mali kusuasua (mfano kilimo) hivyo kuwa na ongezeko la kizazi kinachoishi katika umasikini mkubwa.

Katika kukabiliana na hali hiyo, wataalamu hapa nchini walikwenda nchini Ujerumani kupitia ushirikiano wa GTZ ili kujifunza mbinu endelevu baada ya kuwepo kwa mafanikio makubwa ya teknolojia ya majiko ya Roketi yaliyoanza kutengenezwa nchini humo mwaka 1997 chini ya programu inayohifadhi nishati itokanayo na tungamotaka inayotambulika kitaalamu kama Programme for Biomass Energy Conservation (ProBEC).

Mratibu wa Taifa (ProBEC-Tanzania) Bw.Arfaksad Ndilanha ambaye pia ni miongoni mwa wataalamu wa nchini waliokwenda kujifunza nchini Ujerumani anasema GTZ inaendesha mradi huo katika nchi 8 wanachama wa SADC kati ya wanachama 14 wa jumuiya hiyo.

Chanzo cha mradi huo anasema ni tatizo au kero za nchi za SADC kutokana na wananchi wake kuwa vinara wa ukataji miti kwa ajili ya matumizi ya mkaa ya kuni.

Mbaya zaidi, anasema matumizi hayo si ya kisayansi kutokana na nishati hiyo kupotea ovyo sababu ya mfumo wa mafiga matatu unaotumika zaidi vijijini au matumizi ya majiko ya chuma ya mkaa, ambayo si sahihi kutumika kwenye nishati itokanayo na miti.

``Tumeona matumizi hayo husababisha njaa isiyokoma au kukoma kwa muda katika nchi nyingi za SADC, na nchi nyingine za AFRKUSA...matokeo yake ni umasikini kutokana na kuibuka kwa vikwazo vya shughuli za kilimo, ambapo zaidi ya watu asilimia 90 hutegemea shughuli hiyo na nyingine zinazoambatana,\"anasema.

Vyanzo vingine ni kilimo cha kuhama hama, mmomonyoko wa udongo, uchomaji moto misitu hivyo kusababisha tija kupungua na hatimaye umasikini.

Anasema kabla ya ujio wa teknolojia hiyo, wakuu wa nchi za SADC wamekuwa wakikutana kwa nia ya kupata suluhisho bila mafanikio ambapo kufikia mwaka 2004, teknolojia ya Kijerumani ya majiko ya Roketi iliingia Tanzania na kuanza kutekelezwa mwaka 2005, ambapo nchi za Uholanzi na Ujerumani zilijitokeza kusaidia ufanikishaji wake, ikiwemo kusambaza elimu maeneo yenye matatizo katika nchi hizo kwa awamu.

Awamu ya kwanza ilikuwa 2004/2006 ambapo ilikuwa ni kusambaza teknolojia yenyewe kwa vitendo ya namna ya utengenezaji wa majiko, kutangaza teknolojia yenyewe, na namna ya kutumia majumbani na katika taasisi binafsi na za serikali wakiwemo wafanyabiashara wadogo kama vile mama na baba lishe.

Aidha awamu hiyo ambayo ilikoma Desemba mwaka jana, ilikuwa na shughuli za kuelezea teknolojia ya ProBEC katika nchi zote za SADC baada ya kuonyesha manufaa katika nchi chache ikiwemo Tanzania.

Anasema ingawa walengwa ni waharibifu wakubwa wa mazingira katika nchi hizo, pia lengo ni kuwasaidia watu wenye kipato kidogo mijini na vijijini ambapo pindi watumiapo majiko hayo.

\"Pamoja na kusaidia katika uharibifu wa mazingira na uchafuzi wa mazingira, ni teknolojia nzuri ya kiuchumi kwani mlengwa hutumia fedha kidogo kwa matumizi ya mapishi majumbani, na hata kwenye taasisi...itasaidia sana watu wenye kipato cha chini kwa sababu ya matumizi ya kuni kidogo,\"anasema Bw.Ndilanha.

Nchi zilizowahi kufikiwa na teknolojia hiyo upande wa kusini ni pamoja na Lesotho, Msumbiji, Namibia, Afrika Kusini, na Zimbabwe wakati upande wa kaskazini unazijumuisha nchi za Tanzania, Malawi na Zambia.

Kwa hapa nchini majiko hayo yametengenezwa na kusambazwa katika makampuni ya chai na tumbaku iliyopo katika mikoa ya Nyanda za Juu Kusini, taasisi binafsi na pia kwa wakulima.

Anasema pamoja na makampuni hayo, Jeshi la Magereza pia ni miongoni mwa maeneo yaliyolengwa na teknolojia hiyo, kutokana na ukweli kuwa lenyewe hutumia zaidi nishati ya kuni na mkaa kwa ajili ya kupikia wafungwa.

Hadi sasa, teknolojia hiyo imeonekana kukubalika mapema, hasa baada ya wananchi kuelimishwa namna ya utengenezaji na matumizi yake katika mikoa ya Morogoro, Arusha, Dar Es Salaam, Mwanza na Zanzibar.

Baadhi ya taasisi zilizopatiwa mafunzo ya namna ya kutengeneza na kutumia majiko hayo ni Kanisa la Anglikana Dayosisi ya Ruaha, Kampuni ya Chai ya Kibena ya Njombe mkoani Iringa, wakulima wa tumbaku Iringa, Kampuni ya Chai Mufindi na pia asasi ya Emmanuel International ya Njombe mkoani Iringa.

Nyingine ni kampuni ya chai ya Uniliver na ya tumbaku ya Tukuyu mkoani Mbeya, ingawa anasema mpango ni kufika kila kona na hapa nchi, walengwa wakubwa ni maeneo ya vijijini ambapo hutumia teknolojia dhaifu (mafiga matatu) wakati wa kupika isiyoendana na wakati kwa maana ya kuhifadhi upotevu wa nishati yenyewe.

Mpango wa kuendeleza teknolojia hiyo kwa maeneo mengi, anasema imeingizwa katika awamu ya pili ya progarmu hiyo ( ProBEC phase II) iliyoanza Januari mwaka huu na lengo ni kufikia asilimia 95 ya matumizi yake.

Katika awamu hii ya pili, mpango ni kusambaza majiko ya roketi katika ukanda unaotambulika kama `Uhuru Kordo\' yenye mikoa ya Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Iringa na Pwani.

Mpango wa baadaye wa GTZ, ni tekonojia hiyo kuwafikia zaidi ya watu wapatao 800,000 ifikapo Mei 2008 inapokoma awamu ya pili ya programu hiyo.

Sanjari na faida za kiuchumi, majiko hayo husaidia usalama wa afya yatumikapo kutokana na kumudu kuhifadhi moshi jambo ambalo huepusha kuathiri mapafu, macho na kuendelea kushusha kinga ya mwili kwa wagonjwa wa ukimwi.

Rural power target pushed to 2013

RODNEY THADEUS
Daily News; Saturday,September 22, 2007 @00:03

THE government has extended to year 2013 the target to provide electricity to 25 per cent of the country, the Minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr Nazir Karamagi, said in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Mr Karamagi said the target cannot be reached by 2010 as planned earlier because the modality and process of selecting members to form the board that will oversee the project had taken longer than previously expected.

The minister revealed this when launching the Rural Energy Agency (REA) and the Rural Energy Fund as part of the implementation of the project.

He said that in order to meet the target the government has set aside 10bn/- this year for REA rural energy projects. The objective is to ensure the vast majority of rural people have access to electricity, he said.

According to the minister, it was only eight per cent urban and two per cent of rural people who currently have access to electricity. Of the 34 million plus population, the power utility firm –TANESCO’s customer base is estimated at only one million people.

He said that Tanzania’s rural economy would be transformed when agriculture, agro-business, small and medium scale industries and enterprises and commercial establishments have access to and use affordable electricity.

He said that REA would also work with other key service sector institutions, ministries responsible for rural services such as health, education and local government.

The minister also introduced the REA Board of Directors that will be chaired by Mr Singi Madata from the Ministry of Finance. Members include Said S. Said from Tanzania Federation of Cooperatives and Esther Mkwizu from Tanzania Private Sector Foundation.

Others were Onali Salem from Foundation for Civil Society, Martin Kitilla from Regional and Local Government, Rita Akena from Tanzania Bankers Association and Anne-Lie Engvall, an observer from SIDA.

Rural electrification scheme gets USD28m push

Source: The Guardian, July 03, 2007



The government`s rural electrification programme has received a major
financial boost from the mining giant, Barrick Gold Tanzania which has
injected USD28m into the national project.

The latest move comes in the form of public private partnership (PPP) and
would see Barrick Gold Tanzania extending electric poles all the way to the
remote Tarime district, Mara region, eventually integrating the area into the
national power grid.

The company would collaborate with the government through the Tanzania
Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) and an agreement was signed Friday to
usher in commencement of the project.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Dar es Salaam, Minister for Energy
and Minerals, Nazir Karamagi, said after completion, the project would supply
power at competitive rates to North Mara Gold Mine in particular and to other
investment initiatives around the area.

The project is expected to significantly improve the financial health of
Tanesco as North Mara Mine becomes an anchor customer who is sure and
capable of paying bills appropriately.

The Minister said the electrification of the gold mine would enable Barrick
Gold Tanzania to access clean and cheaper energy source and would also
save the country millions of dollars spent on importing fuel to generate
thermal electricity.

In turn, he said, the foreign exchange thus saved would contribute
significantly to improving Tanzania`s balance of payments and to the stability
of domestic currency.

He said the fourth phase government is committed to expanding access to
electricity to rural and peri-urban areas.

``As you know such projects costs huge monies which the government alone
will not be able to execute at the expected rate but with such collaboration of
public private partnerships we expect to accelerate our programme``, he said.

The initiative would feed into government`s policy goal of increasing access
to electricity to 25 percent of the population by the year 2010. Currently only 10
percent of the country�s populace does have access to electricity and most
of it are urban dwellers.

He said with ongoing development in the power sector it is important to
ensure that there are sets of common and agreed principles to be followed
for the different stakeholders involved in the power sector in order to expand
access to electricity.

Minister Karamagi encouraged other investors to emulate the example
shown by the gold miner.
The mining sector is the fastest growing one and it challenges the
government to seek more investments to generate more electricity, feed it into
the grid and enhance access countrywide.

Gareth Taylor, the Executive General Manager for operations for Barrick Gold
Tanzania, said the project would bring the infrastructure for provision of power
to Tanzanians in the Nyamongo area earlier than may have been planned.

He said project implementation would commence as soon as after
completion of the Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

This is a statutory requirement by the government which would ensure that
electrification of the mine would be conducted in a socially responsible and
environmentally friendly manner.

Speaking earlier, the Tarime legislator, Chacha Wangwe, said the project
would provide leverage for localized small and medium enterprises (SMEs),
in turn boosting incomes of the people in the respective areas.

Under this latest public private partnership scheme, North Mara Mine would
be allowed to consumer power freely for a certain period until its costs are
recovered, thereupon starting to pay power tariffs at the going market rates.