In Africa alone, over 80% of the population still depends on
firewood and charcoal for cooking, and this is unlikely to change due to
population growth and rising urbanization. So rather than condemning
traditional sources of energy, what is needed are sustainable wood-fuel systems
to avoid forest degradation and generate positive development. Charcoal is one
of the most commercialized resources in sub-Saharan Africa. FAO estimates
official charcoal production for Africa to be 30.6 million tons in 2012, worth
between US$9.2 billion and US$24.5 billion annually. Despite this huge value of
production, policies to effectively govern the sector are lacking in most
African countries.
The question is: How can the sustainable use of tree-based
bioenergy be a solution to development, as well as mitigation and adaptation to
climate change?
Henry Neufeldt, the head of the climate change unit at the
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) says “However, if managed properly charcoal can
provide a low-cost and locally available energy source that has the potential
to become sustainable and contribute significantly to poverty alleviation….Links
between charcoal production and deforestation and degradation need further
clarification so that current and future impacts on land cover, the regional
water balance and the global climate can be appropriately addressed. The
capacity of agroforestry systems, woodlots and small plantations to meet
growing demands for charcoal, and reduce pressure on forests, needs urgent
investigation,” added Neufeldt.
About 80 experts and policy makers recently convened at a
workshop organized by ICRAF in Nairobi, Kenya, to draft an agenda for action to
influence the inclusion of firewood and charcoal and liquid biofuels in energy
planning in Africa. A key recommendation of the workshop is to recognize that
improving the cooking of food in Africa requires an in-depth understanding of
the entire system, from production to end-user, and investments should
therefore be based on improving the entire cooking system rather than targeting
elements of it. In summary, the participants concluded that tree-based
bioenergy systems, ranging from firewood and charcoal to liquid biofuels and
power generation, offer great opportunities for sustainable green growth
pathways in sub-Saharan Africa. What is needed to effectively promote them is a
shift in perception to rehabilitate their negative image, a holistic approach
that considers the full production to end-user cycle, collaboration of relevant
stakeholders to overcome investment barriers and political coordination at
subnational to national and regional levels.
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