There is evidence that bamboo charcoal burns cleaner than wood charcoal and with comparable heating and energy values. Charcoal production is another way for families to diversify their livelihoods and earn some additional income, and the relatively limited investments required for the simple charcoal-making process make it an income source that is accessible to many.
East Africa
NEWS: Kenya urges move to plant trees for charcoal
It’s encouraging to hear the head of the Kenya Forestry Service call for the planting of trees for wood energy and other products. That’s exactly the right call. We would however want to make certain that his call to plant trees on agricultural lands does not come at the expense of food production. Food security must remain a priority. Luckily there are ways to do both and do them well. — The Charcoal Project Encourage commercial logging to grow Kenya’s forest cover – report Source: AlertNet Mon, 5 Nov 2012 19:10 GMT By Katy Migiro NAIROBI (AlertNet) – Kenya should Continue reading
NEWS: Kenya to legalize charcoal trade
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 5 – The government now wants to legalize the charcoal business in an attempt to beat illegal charcoal burning which is largely to blame for the loss of the country’s forest cover.
VIDEOS: Can Clean Cookstoves and Energy Poverty go viral
To support this goal, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves came out a few weeks ago with several videos that have been in the making for some time now. (The first four videos on the Alliance’s YouTube channel are the ones in question. And, yes, Julia Roberts does appear in most of them!)
NEWS: Nigeria: Growing Danger of Charcoal Smuggling
This increasing demand for charcoal as an alternative source of fuel in homes and some industries in Nigeria has snowballed into a smuggling ring across national borders, further destroying the already diminishing number of trees in the country.