Strengthening the charcoal industry’s sustainability in the Zambezi Basin Mozambique

Context of the service

Access to clean and sustainable energy for domestic use remains a challenge in Mozambique, as in many African countries. Many urban households use charcoal, which is often produced at far away from consumption site, in rural areas where wood is still available.

Charcoal is most often produced, processed and transported informally, outside existing legal frameworks. This is one of the factors that explains the challenges with working on the sector's sustainability and regulation, and the often incomplete knowledge of its stakeholders.

The Government of Mozambique is already well advanced in mapping energy needs and promoting renewable energy sources, particularly in the south of the country. In order to complete this mapping, ENABEL commissioned SalvaTerra to carry out a study of the charcoal value chain in the Lower Zambezi basin.

Services provided

The services provided were as follows:

- Literature review to draw lessons from the many projects carried out in Africa to strengthen charcoal value chains' sustainability;

- In-depth analysis of projects already carried out in Southern Mozambique to support charcoal value chains;

- Field diagnosis of the charcoal value chain in the Lower Zambezi Basin, based on interviews with key informants and key stakeholders involved in coal production, using traditional or improved methods;

- Recommendations to improve the charcoal value chain's sustainability in the Lower Zambezi Basin.

Summary of the service

Strengthening the charcoal sector's sustainability in the Lower Zambezi Basin: Analysis of projects in Africa to strengthen the charcoal value chains' sustainability; In-depth analysis of similar projects already carried out in Southern Mozambique; Field diagnosis of the coal value chain in the Lower Zambezi Basin; Recommendations to improve its sustainability.