Sustainable Woodfuel (charcoal and firewood) Systems in Coastal Regions in Tanzania; A Trainers Course Manual

Abstract

Wood is an important source of energy that has been used for millennia for cooking, boiling water, lighting and heating (WHO, 2006). More than 2.7 billion people – 38% of the world’s population, relies on the traditional use of solid biomass for cooking, typically using inefficient stoves in poorly ventilated spaces (IEA, 2016). Woodfuel (charcoal and firewood) is the most commonly form of energy used for cooking and heating in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and it is also used in small-scale businesses such as restaurants, bakeries, street food kiosks, brick making, drying produce such as tea and tobacco. In SSA more than 90% of the population relies on either firewood or charcoal (IEA, 2006). Africa produce 62% of the global wood charcoal estimated at 52 million tons (Mt) (FAO, 2016a). Tanzania ranked 7th in the world for overall charcoal production, accounting for roughly 3% of global charcoal production at over 1.6 million tonnes (Mt). Woodfuel provide 85–90% of Tanzania’s energy supply (World Bank, 2009; URT, 2015b). Charcoal is mainly consumed in urban areas while firewood is used in rural areas. In urban areas in Tanzania, 71% of households depend on charcoal (Doggart and Meshack, 2017). Charcoal contributed over USD 650 million annually to the Tanzanian economy and is a major source of employment and income in both urban and rural areas. The situation is the same in other countries in Eastern Africa where for instance in Kenya 82% of urban households rely on charcoal for cooking and in Ethiopia 70% of all charcoal produced is consumed by urban households (MoE, 2002; GCF, 2014; Yigard, 2002). In Zambia charcoal use increased by four percent between 1990 and 2000 and 85% of urban households rely on it for cooking and heating (Chidumayo et al., 2002). Charcoal production has risen in recent decades as demand has grown among urban households and enterprises (FAO, 2017). Charcoal consumption is expected to grow in SSA in coming decades, especially given that the percentage of population living in urban areas is projected to grow from 36% to 50% by 2030 (World Bank, 2014). The woodfuel value chain has considerable value as it provides income, employment, livelihoods and energy security. For instance in Tanzania and Kenya it has an economic value estimated at US$650 million and US$ 1.6 billion respectively (FAO, 2017) and hence the need for its development as a productive sector