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The impact of charcoal production on forest degradation: a case study in Tete, Mozambique.

ABSTRACT: Charcoal production for urban energy consumption is a main driver of forest degradation in sub Saharan Africa. Urban growth projections for the continent suggest that the relevance of this process will increase in the coming decades. Forest degradation associated to charcoal production is difficult to monitor and commonly overlooked and underrepresented in forest cover change and carbon emission estimates. We use a multitemporal dataset of very high-resolution remote sensing images to map kiln locations in a representative study area of tropical woodlands in central Mozambique. The resulting maps provided a characterization of the spatial extent and temporal dynamics of charcoal production. Using an indirect approach we combine kiln maps and field information on charcoal making to describe the magnitude and intensity of forest degradation linked to charcoal production, including aboveground biomass and carbon emissions. Our findings reveal that forest degradation associated to charcoal production in the study area is largely independent from deforestation driven by agricultural expansion and that its impact on forest cover change is in the same order of magnitude as deforestation. Our work illustrates the feasibility of using estimates of urban charcoal consumption to establish a link between urban energy demands and forest degradation. This kind of approach has potential to reduce uncertainties in forest cover change and carbon emission assessments in sub-Saharan Africa.

SUBMITTER: Sedano F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7430507 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The impact of charcoal production on forest degradation: a case study in Tete, Mozambique.

Sedano F F Silva J A JA Machoco R R Meque C H CH Sitoe A A Ribeiro N N Anderson K K Anderson K K Ombe Z A ZA Baule S H SH Tucker C J CJ

Environmental research letters : ERL [Web site] 20160914 9

Charcoal production for urban energy consumption is a main driver of forest degradation in sub Saharan Africa. Urban growth projections for the continent suggest that the relevance of this process will increase in the coming decades. Forest degradation associated to charcoal production is difficult to monitor and commonly overlooked and underrepresented in forest cover change and carbon emission estimates. We use a multitemporal dataset of very high-resolution remote sensing images to map kiln l ...[more]

PMID: 32818037

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Project description:BackgroundSince 2008 in Mozambique, patients stable on antiretroviral therapy (ART) can join Community ART Groups (CAG), peer groups in which members are involved in adherence support and community ART delivery. More than 10 years after the implementation of the first CAGs, we study how changes in circumstance and daily life events of CAG members have affected the CAG dynamic.MethodsA qualitative study using individual in-depth interviews (27) and focus group discussions (8) with CAG members and health care providers was carried out in Tete province, rural Mozambique. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data were transcribed and translated, and manual thematic analysis carried out to identify codes, which were then categorized in sub-themes and themes.ResultsData were collected from 61 CAG members and 18 health-care providers in 2017. The CAG dynamic was affected by life events and changing circumstances including a loss of geographical proximity or a change in social relationships. Family CAGs facilitated reporting and ART distribution, but conflict between CAG members meant some CAGs ceased to function. In some CAGs, the dynamic changed as pill counts were not carried out, members met less frequently or stopped meeting entirely. Some members did not collect ART at the facility when it was their turn, and others stopped taking ART completely. Health care providers were reported to push people living with HIV to join CAGs, instead of allowing voluntary participation. Some CAGs responded to adherence challenges by strengthening peer support through counselling and observed pill intake. Health-care providers agreed that strengthening CAG rules and membership criteria could help to overcome the identified problems.ConclusionsChanging life circumstances, changes in relationships and a lack of participation by CAG members altered the CAG dynamic, which sometimes affected adherence. Some CAGs responded to challenges by intensifying peer support, including to those diagnosed with virological failure. To ensure flexible implementation and modification of CAGs to the inevitable changes in life circumstances of its members, feedback mechanisms should be implemented between CAG members and the health-care providers.

Project description:In Ghana, the potential of palm kernel shells as renewable energy in charcoal production has not been exploited adequately. Using a low-cost instrument (kiln and compressor box) built from local resources, we produced charcoal briquette from palm kernel (Elaeis guineensis) shells. Further, we measured and compared its efficiency using starch as a binder to traditional charcoal and commonly used fuelwood (Acacia) in Cape Coast. Following the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the proximate analysis was conducted for all fuels with results indicating that palm kernel shell (PKS) briquette produced had a moisture content of 1.08 %, as compared to 9.25 % in charcoal and 16.00 % in fuelwood. The volatile matter, ash content and fixed carbon recorded were 71.80 %, 0.06 %, and 27.07 % in PKS briquette, 86.00 %, 0.78 %, and 3.97 % in charcoal and 80.50 %, 2.04 %, 1.46 % in fuelwood respectively. The calorific values for charred PKS increased after binding to form the PKS briquette with the highest value among the other fuels. The calorific value for the other fuels were 17.5 MJ/kg for charcoal, 18.72 MJ/kg for charred PKS, and 18.72 MJ/kg for PKS briquette. We also conducted an ignition test, combustion test, fuel burning rate (FBR), and specific fuel consumption (SFC) on PKS briquette and charcoal to determine their suitability as cooking fuels. Charcoal readily ignited as compared to PKS briquette with respective fuel mass of 5.08 g and 25.5 g. The resultant briquette possesses desirable combustion characteristics such as no smoke emissions and ash formation. The FBR and SFC in PKS briquette recorded the highest in comparison with charcoal. The values recorded were 2.84 g/min and 20.05 g/ml respectively while that of charcoal was 0.42 g/min and 3.48 g/ml respectively. PKS briquette produced from this study showed high calorific value, low moisture content, and a fast burning rate amongst other excellent properties. These properties are potential indicators that the proper utilization and production of PKS briquette as renewable energy in Ghana would contribute to solving the existing energy crisis. Additionally, reduce climate change impacts, via the reduction in the over-dependence on fuelwood and charcoal for domestic and commercial heating.

Dataset Information

The impact of charcoal production on forest degradation: a case study in Tete, Mozambique.

Publications

The impact of charcoal production on forest degradation: a case study in Tete, Mozambique.

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