Tanzania–Japan Carbon Partnership Focuses on Efficient Cookstoves and Clean Technologies
Tanzania and Japan are expanding cooperation in the areas of carbon markets, greenhouse-gas emissions reduction and clean technologies.
The latest cooperation is being developed under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), a framework designed to support the deployment of decarbonising technologies and projects while measuring and allocating greenhouse-gas emission reductions between the two countries.
The latest agreement involves Tanzania’s National Carbon Monitoring Centre (NCMC) and Japanese companies BrickLayers Asset Management and AMAMO, with improved cooking-stove projects identified as a key area for cooperation.
700,000 Efficient Cookstoves in Tanzania
According to AMAMO, one of the first projects under the cooperation framework aims to promote approximately 700,000 high-efficiency cookstoves in Tanzania.
The project is intended to combine Japanese finance and technology with Tanzania’s climate and development priorities through the JCM framework.
Efficient cookstoves can reduce fuel consumption while also helping address household energy costs, indoor air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions associated with traditional cooking practices.
What Is the Joint Crediting Mechanism?
The Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) is a bilateral framework through which Japan works with partner countries to deploy decarbonising technologies, products, systems and infrastructure.
The mechanism is designed to quantify greenhouse-gas emission reductions or removals and allocate credits according to the contributions of the participating countries.
Japan and Tanzania signed their Memorandum of Cooperation to establish the JCM on May 28, 2025, while the first Joint Committee meeting was held in Tanzania in September 2025. Following the adoption of the relevant JCM rules and guidelines, projects could begin to be implemented under the mechanism.
Japan’s Environment Ministry lists Tanzania among its JCM partner countries and continues to support the overseas deployment of decarbonising technologies through the mechanism.
Why Are Efficient Cookstoves Important?
Many households in Tanzania continue to rely on traditional cooking fuels and technologies. Improving cooking efficiency can reduce the amount of fuel required for everyday cooking.
Potential benefits of efficient cookstoves include:
- Lower fuel consumption
- Reduced greenhouse-gas emissions
- Lower indoor air pollution
- Reduced pressure on forest resources
- Lower household energy costs
- Development of clean-technology markets
- Potential generation of carbon credits
A separate clean-cooking project in Tanzania also reached an important carbon-market milestone in 2026, with the first CORSIA First Phase Eligible labels applied to credits generated using an improved-cookstove methodology.
Carbon Markets and Project Financing
One of the important aspects of Tanzania’s cooperation with Japan is the use of carbon-market mechanisms to support financing for emissions-reduction projects.
Projects capable of demonstrating measurable greenhouse-gas reductions can potentially generate carbon credits when their emission reductions are properly measured, reported and verified under an approved methodology.
This creates a potential financing channel for clean cooking, renewable energy, energy efficiency and other low-carbon projects.
Clean Technology and Tanzania’s Economic Development
The Tanzania–Japan carbon partnership is not limited to emissions reduction.
According to Tanzanian officials, JCM cooperation can increase private-sector participation in the carbon market while supporting projects with environmental, health and economic benefits. The cooperation is also expected to improve access to modern greenhouse-gas reduction technologies and strengthen Tanzania’s capacity in Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV).
These objectives are also consistent with Tanzania’s National Clean Cooking Strategy 2024–2034, which includes the development of clean cooking technologies, standards for cooking appliances and opportunities for clean-cooking technologies to participate in international carbon-market arrangements.
Investment Opportunities in Tanzania’s Clean Technology Market
The expansion of JCM projects and carbon-market activity could create opportunities in several areas.
Efficient Cookstoves
Manufacturing, importing, distributing and developing high-efficiency cooking technologies.
Clean Energy and Energy-Efficient Equipment
Developing technologies that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions.
Carbon Credit Projects
Developing and implementing projects capable of generating verified carbon credits.
Measurement and Monitoring Systems
Providing Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) technologies and services for emissions-reduction projects.
Solar and Off-Grid Energy
Developing clean-energy solutions for communities and businesses without reliable grid access.
Industrial Clean Technologies
Introducing technologies that reduce energy consumption and emissions in manufacturing and industrial operations.
Potential Opportunities for Iranian Companies
For Iranian companies operating in energy, energy-efficient equipment, solar power, clean technologies, monitoring systems and technical engineering services, Tanzania’s expanding carbon market may provide areas for further market research.
Companies involved in energy-efficiency technologies, efficient cooking equipment, renewable energy, emissions monitoring and carbon-reduction projects could explore Tanzania in areas such as technology transfer, manufacturing, distribution, project development and partnerships with local companies.
However, companies considering carbon-market projects should first assess Tanzania’s legal framework, project-registration requirements, MRV methodologies and regulations governing carbon credits.
Tanzania’s Emerging Green Economy
The Tanzania–Japan partnership highlights the growing importance of the green economy and carbon markets within Tanzania’s international cooperation.
Projects such as efficient cookstoves can potentially address several objectives at the same time: reducing fuel consumption, lowering emissions, improving household energy conditions, transferring technology and creating opportunities for private investment.
The JCM framework could also provide a platform for additional clean-energy and low-carbon projects in Tanzania in the coming years.
Conclusion
Tanzania and Japan are expanding cooperation in carbon markets and emissions-reduction technologies, with efficient cookstoves emerging as one of the key areas of the partnership.
Under the latest cooperation between Tanzania’s National Carbon Monitoring Centre and Japanese companies, projects including the deployment of approximately 700,000 high-efficiency cookstoves are being developed through the JCM framework.
The development could create opportunities for clean technology, technology transfer, green investment and private-sector participation in Tanzania’s growing carbon market.
Main Sources: The Guardian Tanzania, National Carbon Monitoring Centre, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, JCM Tanzania–Japan and AMAMO.
