Natural forests aside, wood energy originates from various sources such as trees outside of forests, agroforestry, agricultural plantations and tree plantations. Weak forest governance, commonly regarded as the biggest obstacle to sustainable forest management in sub-Saharan Africa, likewise restricts wood energy supplies (of charcoal in particular) from natural forests. Moreover, conversion of forests to farmland and mounting degradation further impair the dry forests’ potential to supply wood. Due to the dry forests’ low increment rates, charcoal production tends to destroy this vulnerable ecosystem.

Around urban centres in particular, degradation and deforestation progress in a concentric fashion, with desertification as the inevitable end-result. Such forests are hardly ever subject to regulated and sustainable management, resulting in overexploitation and degradation. Only about 10 per cent of the population have access to modern energies like electricity and gas.ĭry forest ecosystems (with up to 1,500 mm precipitation per year) supply about 80 per cent of the energy needed by the rural and urban population in sub-Saharan Africa. Between 19, the production of charcoal in Africa grew by 65 per cent, a trend expected to continue in line with population growth. Already today, more than half of the world-wide charcoal production, about 24,000,000 tons, is consumed in Africa. Even in a middle- and long-term perspective, wood energy and charcoal will remain the major energy source for most African countries.

In sub-Saharan Africa, wood-fuels have always been the most important energy carrier, including in urban centres where charcoal is chiefly used for cooking. Since both environmental and socioeconomic aspects are addressed in a very effective way, this approach has high potential referring to global challenges such as land degradation, rural poverty and climate change. German Development Cooperation has developed an approach for the sustainable production of charcoal that has proved to have a considerable impact in Northern Madagascar.

Eco global survival game charcoal