Tanzania - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

We aim to create an alternative energy source (briquettes) for cooking and heating by using agriculture waste (corn cobs) as raw materials. This will reduce the effects on health and the environment caused by charcoal usage and production processes.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 80% of Tanzanians use charcoal as their main energy source and knowingly or unknowingly are not aware of the side effects of charcoal usage on their health and its impacts on the environment during its manufacturing process. We therefore aim to reduce these effects by substituting charcoal with briquettes made from agricultural waste mainly corn cobs and coconut shells. These two materials once processed and combined create an energy source with more efficiency and performance than wood charcoal. Successful implementation of this business venture will mean improved health of users and reduced environmental impacts caused by charcoal usage and production processes as well as creation of employment opportunities to Tanzanians. This business venture will start paving the way to a sustainable Tanzania for the incoming generations

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Green House Gas Emissions (Carbon Dioxide) Normal wood charcoal is made by cutting down trees and burning them to produce charcoal. The process of burning wood to create charcoal generates greenhouse gases mainly carbon dioxide which greatly affects the climate resulting in rise of global temperature, changes in weather patterns and other negative climate changes Reduced Carbon Dioxide absorption Trees absorb carbon dioxide as the they grow, cutting them down for charcoal production increases the amount of carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere resulting in greenhouse effects Health Effects to the Users of Charcoal Using charcoal releases harmful gases which when inhaled causes respiratory effects to the human body. It also affects the eyes of the users causing reduced sight with continuous usage. Recent statistics shown by The Citizen magazine shows that approximately 32000 people die yearly in Tanzania due to use of unclean sources of energy referring to charcoal and firewood.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

1. Cheaper Price Our briquettes will be sold at a cheaper price than a single street unit of charcoal. And since they will be sold in mass units of 1Kg, it will be easy for consumers to establish their energy usage pattern. 2. More Burning Time Our product offers a higher time to utilize the heat energy produced be it for cooking or heating. Our measuring parameter is beans, you can boil two and half sets of beans with the same input amount of our energy product 3. Fixed Energy quality Unlike charcoal whose quality changes depending on the type of wood used to create it, our energy product will have the same energy characteristics hence providing the same quality to the user upon each time of use. This will also help the consumers to establish their usage patterns in terms of quantity of use and budget 4. More Energy Value Our energy product emits a maximum of 37Kj/Kg during usage which is higher compared to 30Kj/Kg for wood charcoal.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

In our country, charcoal is the main source of energy for cooking and heating. In terms of specific categories, our customers are grouped in four segments as follows; 1. Domestic homes. These are shelter homes with an average of 4 people per household and mainly use energy for cooking. 2. Hotels and restaurants. These are places where people go for meals and accommodation. They are mostly located in public places with a large demand for energy mainly for cooking as they provide service to large numbers of people. 3. Educational institutions. These include ordinary schools, universities and colleges with normally a fixed number of people to provide service to. They usually have a fixed demand for energy as they have fixed meal routines. This segment requires a large constant amount of energy per day and they usually buy in bulk 4. Industrial establishments. These are industrial facilities that usually require an energy source mainly for heating purposes and usually buy in bulk.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-17

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

4

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

1

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

1. Gerald Dominic Experience: Design and manufacture of sheet metal machines, maintenance of production facilities, basic electrical circuit wiring and troubleshooting, inventory management, operations management and quality assurance. Skills: Designing, Simulation, Project Management, Teamwork, Time management, Discipline and Inquisitive 2. Abdulafiu Twaha Experience: Graduate trainee at Tanzania LPG Association at TAIFA GAS Terminal with obtained familiarity in LPG sector, deploying energy management principles, quality control and safety at the workplace. Skills: Familiar with production process in sugar and cement industries, communication and teamwork, knowledge in industrial engineering principles and practices. 3. Fransisca Malliwa Experience: Procurement and marketing involving sourcing tendering opportunities, quality inspection and financial management in different industries. Skills: Inventory management, marketing, quality control, financial management & Growth Mindset.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

6

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Our business project will involve various operation activities from the acquisition of raw materials, processing them and the creation of the final product as well as all the logistics in between. These activities require human capital to make them successful and hence people will get employment opportunities in various activities within the supply chain of our product. These employment opportunities will be for various disciplines and sectors so drivers, engineers, accountants, security guards and others. All of these people will be able to earn a living through the benefits of our business project To add up on that, the farmers who produce corn cobs will benefit from the business project as they will be the suppliers of the main raw material used.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

6

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

With our energy product utilizing agriculture waste as raw materials, it will encourage farmers to produce more food as there is value in the food obtained but also in the residues after obtaining the food product. This will pave the way for farmers to use sustainable means of farming as there is increased value in their agricultural produces.

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

6

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Reduction of indoor air pollution. Unlike wood charcoal, our energy product burns with less emission of harmful gases and it burns more cleaner than charcoal or firewood. This will help to improve the health of energy users especially women and children who are often the people who are involved with cooking indoors. This also means that there will be less cases of respiratory illness caused by use of unclean energy sources and eventually reduce the burden to the healthcare systems.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Empowering women and children. Women and children are the ones who are usually sent to collect firewood for cooking purposes. By using our energy products which burns longer and is cheaper, women and children will be freed from the burden of having to collect firewood and charcoal and they will use their time for other productive and income generating activities Reducing health risks. Smoke inhalation from use of wood charcoal is a health hazard and especially for women who are usually the one cooking indoors thus bringing briquettes to them will help to improve their health and allow them to carry out other activities.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

3

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Replacing unclean sources of energy. Charcoal despite being expensive and harmful to the health and the environment is being used by more than 80% of Tanzanians. Our energy product offers a clean and more affordable alternative energy source with more performance characteristics like more burning time and higher energy value. Our energy product will have a lower cost because it is made from agricultural waste. Our energy product is sustainable since agriculture is a continuous activity that is carried out each year.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

6

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

Creation of new income streams. Famers who can collect corn cobs and sell them to us as raw materials will be able to earn money and develop their economic status. This will empower the local communities to boost their economy Job creation. Through the value chain of our product from the producers of raw materials to the creation of the final product various jobs will be created with people of various disciplines which will increase income to them Promoting a sustainable business environment for all the entities in the value chain of briquette which also means that paying tax to the government which in turn boosts the economy.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

5

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Utilizing agriculture waste as a raw material for creation of our product, it will increase awareness in the value of waste in our eco system and promote waste management practices that will in turn foster innovative ways to protect our environment. This will also result in the development of various facilities and infrastructures like roads and modern dump sites with filtering mechanisms that will be used to process waste and other materials in order to create a clean and conducive environment in our eco system.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

5

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

This will mostly impact women who are the ones who usually collect charcoal and firewood thus our energy product will reduce their reliance on firewood and charcoal and enable them to devote some of their time to other income generating activities and eventually that reduces the economic gap that exists between men and women.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

5

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Reduced deforestation. By replacing wood charcoal, briquettes will help to conserve forests which is a vital natural resource for cleaning the air and regulating the climate condition. Waste utilization which will assist in cleaning the streets and homes and create a healthier environment.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Combating deforestation. Briquettes are a renewable fuel source made from agricultural residue hence they will reduce the reliance on cutting down trees for firewood and charcoal production. This will protect the countries forests which are a natural air cleaning agent. Lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Normal wood charcoal is made by cutting down trees and burning them to produce charcoal. The process of burning wood to create charcoal generates greenhouse gases mainly carbon dioxide which greatly affects the climate resulting in rise of global temperature, changes in weather patterns and other negative climate changes. Briquettes being made from agricultural waste burns cleaner and are not made by destroying the environment cleaning agents.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

Fighting deforestation. Normal wood charcoal relies on cutting down trees which destroys the bio diversity on the land as well as reducing the lands capacity to support further growth of vegetation. By creating briquettes using agricultural waste, the reliance on firewood and charcoal as energy sources will be reduced hence protecting the bio diversity existing on land creating healthier eco systems.

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

Empowering farmers by creating a new income stream by them selling their corn cobs as raw materials there by boosting their economy. Promoting sustainable waste by reducing the reliance on deforestation for charcoal production and utilizing agricultural waste to create an energy source. Fostering collaboration between farmers, us the briquette producers and the various government agencies working together for production and distribution of the produced energy source.

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

4

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

2

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

2

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

3

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

4

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

2

05.08 Justification

Our product is an improvement on an already existing product. The existing product is made from charcoal dust and coal. Our improvement is on the raw materials that is being used, we use agriculture waste mainly corn cobs and coconut shells to make our product. We can combine these materials or use them separately but we can also add coal to it hence giving us many options to create our product. There are already people who use the same product that we make but their product is that made from charcoal dust which promotes more cutting down of trees. Our product will offer the same qualities and even better ones but it will be made by using agriculture waste which will promote sustainability. To add up on that, when our product is made in combination with coal, there are other by products that are produced like grease which when further processed will also be another product extension from our production process.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Our main competitor is Urafiki Briquettes who manufactures briquettes using coal and saw dust but there are other small local producers who use charcoal dust. Our value proposition is that our product will be cheaper than the one that is being produced by our competitors. Our competitors price ranges from 1000 to 1500TSHS per kilo where as our product will range from 800 to 1200TSHS per kilogram. There are also other by products that will be produced when we combine our raw materials with coal which will add another revenue stream to us. Again, we shall use an intensive direct approach to communicate our value to the customers and push to cover a wider market segment unlike Urafiki Briquettes and the local producers who only sell their product with no marketing to very few limited customers. With our customized products we shall also approach the industrial sector, a market that is entirely left out by all our competitors.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes, this is among our priorities while executing the project because apart from making money from it, we shall be educating women living mostly in rural areas as a way of giving back to the community on how they can manufacture our briquettes locally and get rid of charcoal. They will also earn a living from it through selling in a small scale to others. But also, in our recruitment process, 60% priority will be for women who have the same qualifications as males as a way of making them acquire our entrepreneurial knowledge.