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Charcoal Production in Malawi (free report) |
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by Prince Foley | 12-04-2022 01:36
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Malawi faces serious and worsening linked
problems of unsustainable energy supply and environmental problems that significantly undermine economic development potential. With dependency rates on charcoal and firewood already among the highest in the world, alternative energy sources underdeveloped, and population growing rapidly, biomass fuels will remain a major part of Malawi’s energy mix for decades to come. Charcoal in Malawi is largely an urban fuel used by 11.3% of all households nationally and 54% of urban households in 2015. Still, charcoal supports livelihoods of many rural Malawians, and our rural communities bear the disproportionate burden of deforestation, reduced wood supply and environmental degradation. To date, corrective efforts have focused narrowly on prohibition of charcoal production, which has promoted illegality in production, transportation and marketing. Nearly every Malawian household (97%) relies on firewood or charcoal as their primary source of cooking and heating fuel. With alternative fuel sources underdeveloped, firewood and charcoal will continue to form a significant part of Malawi’s energy mix for the next few decades. Firewood remains the most used cooking fuel (88% of households), but charcoal now predominates in urban areas (54%). Within this context the demand for charcoal and firewood is driving deforestation and forest degradation in Malawi, and is undermining agricultural productivity and food security, water security, and hydroelectric generating capacity leaving the country more vulnerable to climate shocks. However to curb the impacts of deforestation, climate change, and environmental degradation in Malawi caused by illegal charcoal production there is need to: 1. Promote adoption of alternative cooking and heating fuels 2. Stimulate wide-scale adoption of fuel-efficient charcoal and firewood cookstoves 3. Significantly increase sustainable wood production, specifically for biomass energy production 4. Effectively enforce laws and regulations to limit, and eventually stop illegal charcoal production 5. Promote and regulate legal (licensed) charcoal production, transport and sale 6. Enhance the livelihoods of Malawians in ways that can be sustained over time and, 7. Ensure that the information, awareness and communications required to change behavior and increase adoption are available. References 1. Satellitbild. 1993. Forest Resources Mapping and Biomass Assessment for Malawi, Sattelitbild/Department of Forestry, Lilongwe, Malawi. 2. Openshaw, K., 1997. Urban Biomass Fuels: Production, Transportation and Trading Study. A Consolidated Report. Ministry of Energy and Mining, Lilongwe, Malawi. 3. ESU. 1983. Malawi Rural Energy Survey. Energy Studies Unit (ESU), Lilongwe, Malawi. |
 
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8 Comments
Thank you Nayoung
Posted 10-08-2022 16:23
This alternative is really cool!
Posted 02-08-2022 02:58
Hello Chelwoon, yes indeed apart from global participation every country must also take individual participation regards to environmental management
Posted 20-04-2022 16:27
Hello Joon, thanks for highlighting other alternatives.
Posted 20-04-2022 16:20
Hello Prince, this is your mentor Chelwoon.
Today, every country in the world owes a duty to implement carbon use reduction. However, it is difficult for some countries to take immediate steps and action for this. I think many developed countries need to take the lead in helping them keep up with the trend. Developed countries cannot blame your country for using wood and charcoal as main source of cooking and heating fuel in the name of the following the global trend for the environment. Because they have already done that in old days. It is time for them to help undeveloped countries to build a better foundation for environmental preservation.
Thank you for the article!
Regards,
Chelwoon
Posted 15-04-2022 00:43
Hello Prince, this is your mentor Joon.
No matter how bad the charcoal is to the environment, it is very sophisticated problem to stop people from using charcoals. I believe the government bodies should provide alternative ways that people could use so that those using charcoals no matter feel the merit of using it. If people had adequate and affordable access to alternative sources including gas and electric induction, there is no reason not to use such sources. Not only enforcing those illegally using it, I believe more social capitals should be put to build better foundation such as resource accessibility.
Well read your article, and let's keep up!
Best,
Joon
Posted 14-04-2022 00:33
Hello Anghy, it's sad deforestation is now a global problem, but I'm glad that your authorities took quick action to curb the problem, however, in my country the authorities are good at speaking and poor at implementation, though some individuals and local organization together with the communities are trying their best to switch to renewable and clean sources of energy like gas stoves, briquettes, etc but there is little effort being provided by the government, the only effort is to draw policies and acts and maybe law enforcement, I wish the government had a program where all civil servants will buy gas stoves at a cheaper price or on loan basis so that most people stops using firewood and charcoal, I will try to raise this idea to the minister of forestry and climate change and see what it's gonna yield.
Posted 13-04-2022 17:16
Hello Prince!
The same problem was occuring in the rural areas of my region and in part of the urban ones. However, thanks to some government social assistance programs, many households were provided with stoves that use natural gas. This helped to greatly reduce the use of firewood for cooking. Nevertheless, there are still people who did not benefit from this, especially in rural areas, and they continue to use firewood causing deforestation in certain areas.
I hope that the Malawian authorities will take immediate action on this problem.
Posted 12-04-2022 23:17