Forest Landscape Restoration through a Sustainable Wood Energy Value Chain
Ghana’s forest areas are declining by around 2% every year. A large part of the felled wood is used as firewood and for charcoal, which are the main drivers of forest degradation in North and Central Ghana. The consumption of these energy sources is constantly increasing, and charcoal is mainly produced by using inefficient traditional earth-mound kilns. In addition, wood is logged in a manner that is not well regulated and threatens valuable tree species including Shea Nut and Rosewood. The here presented solution supports its partner institutions in restoring forest landscapes, jointly with smallholder farmers and organized producer groups from charcoal-producing regions. The solution includes the sustainable and efficient production and use of wood energy through improved kilns and cook stoves, the improvement of the political and institutional framework for sustainable wood energy, the restoration of forest landscapes and the dissemination of the approach throughout the region.