MACCO promotes Sustainable Energy-Efficient Technologies (SEET) to improve livelihoods, protect health, and reduce pressure on natural resources. As cooking is a daily activity with significant environmental impact, MACCO programme promotes alternatives to the traditional cooking systems (three-stone fire, charcoal).
The initiative aims to reduce household dependence on firewood and charcoal, lower energy costs, improve indoor air quality, and decrease carbon emissions linked to deforestation. It also helps reduce the time and physical burden of cooking, particularly for women and girls, while increasing awareness of sustainable resource use.
Key activities include the construction of improved mud stoves in households and schools, support for alternative sustainable charcoal production, community awareness campaigns, hands-on training for local women, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
MACCO traines stove makers across villages in five districts, enabling the construction of improved household stoves benefiting local people.
The programme also supports alternative charcoal production. A briquette facility in Ching’anda Village has been completed and is undergoing final quality improvements before full operation, following technical recommendations. In Mang’ula, production has been strengthened through equipment upgrades, with 12 tons of briquettes produced and sold in 2025 despite operational challenges.
Through these interventions, SEET contributes to healthier households, reduced deforestation, and more sustainable energy systems in rural Tanzania.
MACCO also promotes village meetings, community sensitization and capacity building to increase awareness, participation, and ownership of sustainable energy solutions across all programme areas.