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Research is being undertaken to expand the knowledge about the biomass potential for
supplying charcoal to urban centres and find workable policy tools that will enable
sustainable production and use of charcoal in the medium term perspective. The project,
CHAPOSA (Charcoal Potential in Southern Africa) focuses on the dynamics of charcoal
production in supply areas (mainly woodlands) and its consumption in three major cities:
Lusaka, Zambia, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Maputo, Mozambique. The three year
research project is funded by European Union (EU) and co-ordinated by Stockhom
Environmental Institute (SEI). In each of the three partner countries, socio-economic and
ecological aspects of charcoal are being studied in the supply areas and charcoal
consumption and market forces studies are being undertaken in the cities. Preliminary
results on the supply side are presented for Tanzania in this paper.
At Kitulangalo one of the charcoal supplying areas in Tanzania, an average charcoal
making household produce 43 bags of charcoal per month, charcoal is sold at kiln site at
Tshs. 1,000/= per bag. The household realizes an income of Tshs. 43,000/= per month.
This income is above the minimum salary rates paid currently to government workers and
hence attracts more people to join the business.
There are 7 trees of about 10 cm dhb for every 22 bags of about 50 kg of charcoal
produced from this area. The mean charcoal kiln efficiency of 23.5% was found.
Preferred tree species for charcoal includes, Julbernadia globiflora, Brachystegia
boehmii, Tamarindus indica, Acacia nigresces, Acacia gerrardii, Acacia nilotica,
Combretum adenogonium, Combretum molle, Combretum zeyheri, Boscia salicifolia,
Diplorhynchus condylocarpon, Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia, Terminanalia mollis,
Pteleopsis myrtifolia,Combretum collinum, Diospyros kirkii, Xeroderris stuhrmanii,
Mimusops kummel, Albizia harvey, Acacia goetzei subsp. Goetzei, Lonchocarpus capassa
and Mhungilo. Standing wood volume and basal area of these species are lower in public
lands compared to forest reserves while stem numbers shows a reversed trend suggesting
regeneration of these species in public lands. The public lands at roadside are dominated
by large trees of Acacia polyacantha, a pioneer tree species which is not preferred for
charcoal making due to its hooked thorns and lighter charcoal which breaks easily during
transportation. An average stand growth rate of 2.3 m3ha-1year-1 has been recorded for the
re-growth miombo woodland at Kitulangalo. |
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