Socio - Economic Impact of Biogas Technology in Tanzania

This study examined socio-economic impact of the biogas technology in Tanzania with the view to enhance gender involvement into the renewable energy technologies. The objectives were to assess costs and financing modalities, community awareness on benefits, biogas user's satisfactions and the general challenges with regard to the technology. Data collection was through formal questionnaire survey to 210 biogas users across the programme areas which cover 28 districts in 10 regions of the Tanzania Mainland. Analytical techniques used in the study include descriptive methods such as cross tabulations, means, percentages, frequencies and standard deviation. Cost for the biogas installation was found to be independent of the household income level and the financing modalities were through the subsidy provided by the programme, own equity, support from friends and relatives, churches and borrowing from financial institutions. The technology was made available to the community through programme staff, religious organizations, NGOs, mason/company and the media.