*Njenga M., Iiyama M., Dobie P., Jamnadass R., Neufeldt H.

Email: m.njenga@cgiar.org*

CBD COP2 9 October 2014

Making Woodfuel Sustainable

Benefits of woodfuel in sub-Saharan Africa

• 2.5 billion people depend on biomass energy for cooking -87% is wood based (IEA 2006).

• In SSA, 90% of the population rely on woodfuel (firewood and charcoal) (IEA, 2006).

• Charcoal industry annually in Africa is worth >US$ 11 billion employing >7m people in 2030 will be US$12 billion and 12 million people (World Bank, 2011, FAO, 2014,)

• In Kenya >Ksh32 billion (US$427m), compares -Ksh35 billion (US$467m) from tea industry

Negative health effects (i) household IAP- 4 million annual deaths globally from respiratory infections affecting mostly women and children. (Lim et al, 2012).

Traditional cooking practices in India & Kenya and sourcing firewood in Kenya

(ii) sourcing firewood -head, spinal injury to women and children, time and calorific energy expenditure.

Impacts of woodfuel on health and enviroment

Negative enviromental impacts from charcoal production and firewood collection

8-10t of wood =1 ton of charcoal

3.03t of wood =1 ton of charcoal

Wood wastage, air pollution, bush fire, nutrient depletion affect natural regeneration

Current practice: Cutting down of young trees for firewoodIn the past: Deadwood

www.treeaid.org.uk

Charcoal production and implications on biodiversity in different ecological zones

10% kiln: 68500t/40(t/ha)=1712ha 10% kiln – 68500t/70(t/ha)=978ha 10% kiln -68500t/260(t/ha)=263ha 30% kiln- 22605t/40(t/ha) =565ha 30% kiln – 22605t/70(t/ha)=323ha 30% kiln – 22605/260(t/ha)=87ha

biomass stock = 40 t/ha biomass stock = 70 t/ha biomass stock = 260 t/ha

In Kenya 2.5m t/year or 6850 t/day

Acacia nilotica

Acacia tortilis

Photo by G Ndegwa

Photo by G Ndegwa

Acacia mearnsii

Tarchonanthus camphoratus

www.plantzafrica.com

www.florabank.org.auProsopis juliflora

www.jircas.affrc.go.jp

Degradation of tree species preferred for charcoal close to markets and hotspots shift to areas far away

Negative effects:• Habitat & browse for

wildlife and livestock• Products: Medicine,

cosmetics, tannin, oil,

Fragmented approach

Production &

processing

Transport

End-use

Value chain

Retail by city traders

Consumption by urban households

Carbonization by farmers / charcoal burners

Wood harvesting by farmers

Collection by

middlemen

Wholesale

by dealers

Energy Sector

Local Authority,

Police

ForestrySector

Agricul.Sector

Land, tree tenure

Tree planting, farmer managed natural

regeneration (FMNR)

Sustained income

Clear regulatory frameworks, little room for

corruption, bribes

Efficient devices

Adoption of sustainable

technologies

Policy framework and implications on sustainability of woodfuelOutputs from an inter-sectoral

coordination

Innovations for sustainable and cleaner woodfuel(a) Woodfuel from trees on farm

• FMNR in Senegal adopted in over 50,000 hectares of farmland within a 4 year period (http://fmnrhub.com.au)

• 80% of wood for energy and construction in Rwanda is from planted forests

• 86% of Kenya’s charcoal is sourced from private farms in drylands

• 70% of farmers source firewood from Grevillea robusta woodlots in Embu, Kenya

• On-farm tree planting for commercial charcoal

Photo by: Oduor

Sourcing biomass raw materials and pressing fuel briquettes

(b) Community based fuel briquette technology

Drying, selling and use of fuel briquettes

Benefits: additional fuel, income, 9 and 15 times cheaper than lump charcoal and kerosene respectively, burn for 4 hrs Vs 2.5 of lump charcoal, 3 times lower CO and 8 times lower PM2.5 than lump charcoal, recycle waste, save trees

Rural

Charcoal dust+soil

Urban

(c) Improving cooking technologiesGasifier type of cook stove: Fuel burn under controlled oyxgen and release gases that burn at high temperatures for cooking and by-product is charcoal

Benefits: Gasifier saves 40% and 30% of fuel and cooking time respectively used in traditional 3 stone stove and yield 20% charcoal. CO, PM2.5 from gasifier is 45% and 90% lower than traditional 3 stone stove. Saves trees

Making Woodfuel Sustainable Requires

• Sustainable wood production: Tree planting and FMNR

• Efficient technologies-wood to charcoal, utilization

• Capacity development and communication

• Enabling cross-sectoral woodfuel policy