DEPUTY Minister in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Khamis Hamza Khamis, has called on experts to educate Tanzanians about carbon trade to enable them seize opportunities it presents.

He emphasized that public awareness could encourage widespread tree planting, allowing citizens to generate income from large polluters while combating climate change effects.

He made the call in Dar es Salaam yesterday while closing a conference involving five university consortiums aimed at enhancing Africa’s ability to address climate change. The conference focused on promoting sustainable agriculture, water management and strengthening public health.

Khamis explained that carbon trade business offers an opportunity to generate funds that can be used to build essential infrastructure, including in education, health and water sectors. He highlighted that the government through the Vice President's Office has launched rules and guidelines to ensure citizens benefit from the new trade.

He further noted that the government under leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has made significant efforts to address climate change impacts. 

Khamis mentioned that Tanzania participating in the 29th Meeting of the Member States of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan to explore solutions for the effects of climate change.

He urged scholars and Tanzanians in general to support the government’s initiatives in combating climate change, particularly by planting trees. He reminded the audience that the government’s ‘Read with a Tree’ campaign has reached university students and the Strategy for the Use of Clean Energy for Cooking (2024-2034) was launched to address climate change impacts caused by deforestation due to firewood and charcoal production.

Prof. William Anangisye, Vice Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), noted that the meeting involved Sokoine University of Agriculture, Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Aga Khan University and UDSM.

The conference which began on Monday also featured the signing of an important agreement to collaborate on education, research, and community outreach in the agriculture sector. Prof. Anangisye stated that the cooperation aims to strengthen Africa’s capacity to address climate change by promoting sustainable agriculture, water management and improving public health.

“This initiative will foster innovative solutions and create knowledge-sharing platforms to support communities affected by climate change, enhance food security and improve health outcomes in the region,” he said.

“This effort aligns with the joint mission of these institutions to promote sustainable development and empower communities to tackle climate challenges through scientific methods and international cooperation.”