Remote village produces its own power

In the wilderness of Simanjiro in Manyara Region, Tanzania, lies the township of Terrat, a humble hamlet probably unknown to many outside Tanzania but which stands out because it produces its own electricity from biofuel.

It is a dry area that lacks clean water just like rural Kajiado and much of North Eastern Kenya. The power plant produces energy which supplies a large-scale cheese making plant owned by the local community.

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Since the area is remote and does not get electricity from national supplier Tanzania Electric Supply Company, the Institute for Orkonerei Pastoralists Advancement (IOPA) decided to produce and supply power for its ventures in the area as well as to the surrounding community.

Martin Kariongi, the company chief executive officer says the electricity plant, which currently supplies at least 116 households, runs solely on biofuel mainly produced from seeds of the Croton megalocarpus plant, commonly known as mukinduri in Kenya, plus jatropha.

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