Planting trees to deal with the consequences of charcoal burning

Posted on 8 January 2023

The annual consumption of charcoal in Madagascar is estimated at 100 kg per person in urban areas. In addition to household demand, there is also consumption by professionals...

Considered for a long time as a "traditional" energy, less considered by decision makers and wasted by users, wood energy must be at the center of the strategic orientations of the energy and forest management sectors in Madagascar. More than 97% of households use wood fuel (charcoal and firewood) as a source of cooking energy because it is the most accessible in the country. Its practicality and low cost compared to other energy sources justify its popularity. It should be noted that the annual consumption of charcoal in Madagascar is estimated at 100 kg per person in urban areas. In addition to household demand, there is also consumption by professionals (industries, crafts, catering, etc.).

Malagasy people cannot do without charcoal, so much so that the exploitation of forests for charcoal production is one of the causes of deforestation in Madagascar.

The effects of the loss of forests are now known to all: climate change, air pollution, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, etc. But in addition to all this, the price of coal will increase. If there are fewer trees, the rate of charcoal production will drop and producers will increase their selling price to make their market profitable.

So what are the alternatives to minimize the consequences of charcoal burning? The easiest way is to restore the forests. It is our duty to reforest, to plant trees to compensate for those that have been cut down.

It is not too late to rebuild the natural world we live in, so let's reforest. The National Strategy for a Supply of Wood Energy developed and adopted in 2018 aims among other things the reforestation for wood energy, continuous, to reach 40,000 ha in 2030. Let's take advantage of this rainy season to plant trees and let's act for the planet, the one to which we owe everything!