The Rural Energy Challenge More than 1 billion people currently lack access to electricity services; more than half of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa (IEA 2016). Most governments and communities in the region have looked to the central grid as the primary choice for electrification. However, technological improvement is enabling decentralized options, such as mini-grids, to emerge as complementary sources of electricity.

Mini-grids—electrical generation and distribution systems of less than 10 megawatts (MW)—represent a relatively rapid means of providing electricity to rural centers that are far from grid infrastructure and unlikely to be connected in the short or medium term. Unlike small solar home systems, which generally provide power for lighting, mobile phone charging and appliances like fans and televisions, mini-grids can provide electricity for productive uses, such as grain milling, and they can be built in ways that allow for connection to a centralized grid.

These advantages have led the International Energy Agency (IEA) to project that mini-grids and stand-alone off-grid systems will play a key role in extending electricity services in rural Africa.

In August 2009, TaTEDO signed a one-year contract with ETC Foundation to mainstream gender into the Upscaling Access to Integrated Modern Energy Services for Poverty Reduction (UAIMES-PR)
programme. This contract was to implement the ENERGIA Phase 4 programme intervention strategy on Mainstreaming Gender in Energy Projects. Through this strategy, ENERGIA aimed to address the general lack of experience on to “how” gender could be incorporated into energy projects by providing technical and financial assistance to mainstream gender approaches into energy access projects. The gender mainstreaming component of the UAIMES-PR programme intended to ensure that the implementation of the programme was gender-sensitive and that outcomes were equityoriented, for the benefit of both men and women. It was also intended to address gender issues in the organisational, institutional, and corporate environment in which energy projects and programmes are developed and implemented.

The gender mainstreaming process involved the preparation of a Gender Action Plan (GAP), employing the steps outlined in the ENERGIA gender mainstreaming handbook. These steps included appointing a gender mainstreaming team, conducting gender diagnostic studies (literature review, project document review, institutional assessment and baseline survey), conducting meetings and workshops for preparation of the GAP, and sharing GAP experiences with other stakeholders. The participatory and interactive approaches that were employed enabled the gender team and the Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and Environment Organisation (TaTEDO) as a whole to actively participate in each stage and generate knowledge and lessons. The GAP thus formulated was instrumental in introducing
the initial steps of mainstreaming gender in UAIMES-PR, and also in TaTEDO as an institution.

Implementation of the GAP has already commenced at the institutional level of TaTEDO. The field implementation is yet to be undertaken, however, due to delays encountered in the procurement of
equipment for the Energy Service Platforms (ESPs)1 and Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship Centres (SEECEs)2, which are key components of the programme. The delays in project implementation
occurred due to the long European Union (EU) procurement protocol, which took almost three years to finalise (from 2009 to 2011). After the equipment is procured, the process of mainstreaming gender
will continue with implementation of the GAP in the UAIMES-PR programme, and documentation of the results for sharing with other stakeholders.

Despite the fact that the implementation of the GAP in field activities has been delayed, important knowledge, lessons, challenges and experiences have been gained during the initial processes of gender mainstreaming, including development of the knowledge and skills of TaTEDO staff, which are being applied in other programmes and projects.

The importance of the charcoal sub-sector to the national economy and community livelihoods in Tanzania and beyond cannot be overemphasized. Charcoal is the largest source of household energy in urban areas for cooking and heating in Tanzania.

In 2014 it was estimated that charcoal generated at least 1 billion US$ per annum in revenues. In 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) estimated the contribution of charcoal to forest sector Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be 44.2%, standing out as one of the most important forest products contributing to the national economy.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

More than 85% of the population of Tanzania depend on solid biomass fuels for cooking, heating, frying, brewing, boiling and roasting in rural, urban and peri-urban areas of Tanzania. The overwhelming use of biomass fuels has in recent times caught the attention of many energy and environment partners due to harmful effects caused at different levels.

The environmental and health implications should therefore be an issue of concern in Tanzania to address this situation and attempts should be made to adopt clean cooking solutions The Electric Pressure Cooker market is growing at an encouraging rate in Tanzania backed by increasing consumer spending on domestic cooking appliances and debouching trends in smart home appliances.

The trend of customers in the market shows that the rising number of working populations especially women leads to the need for faster and easy cooking appliances. The market segments which target SESCOM Electric Pressure Cookers is 40% of low-income, middle and high-income clusters who are connected to electricity.

The awareness campaign will use different communication channels such as social media, TV, Radio, and Print, coupled with demonstrations and education to the public, to increase the number of households which will use electricity and electric pressure cookers and hence expand the SESCOM EPC market in the country.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The activities reported in this report are funded by a Global Challenges Research Fund research grant (ES/T006684/1 and 2) from UKRI & BEIS. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) is part of the UK’s official development assistance (ODA) and is managed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. This support enabled us to conduct extensive fieldwork in Tanzania and organise the stakeholder events.

Our success is mainly owed to the cooperation of mini-grid developers and operators, who not only provided us with practical knowledge of implementing mini-grids in Tanzania but also granted us access to their respective mini-grid sites. We sincerely appreciate the heads and staff of government agencies, development organizations, and business groups who shared their valuable insights on the governance and politics of mini-grid development in Tanzania.

We also want to extend a special acknowledgement to the Tanzanians who welcomed us into their communities and homes, providing essential information for our research.