Fuelwood Crisis

A detailed Summary of Fuelwood Crisis

As if the fuel wood crisis wasn’t enough of a drain on the forests of Africa, there are several other uses for wood that contribute to deforestation and land degradation, such as logging, which is among the major threat to African forests. In 1998 the World Resources Institute (WRI) launched a project called Global Forest Watch (GFW) which combines satellite imagery, geographic information systems, mapping software, and the internet to gather data that will help governments and conservation groups map and prevent what is happening to the worlds rapidly disappearing forests. So far parts of Africa seem to be in the worst shape. At the current rate of expansion the WRI estimates about 35% of Africa’s total forest will be lost in the next 15 to 20 years. Cameroon is one of the countries in Africa most affected by logging. Between 1959 and today, about 80 percent of Cameroon’s unprotected forest has been allocated for logging. In fact, Cameroon ranks fifth !

among the worlds largest timber exporters.

Medicinal uses are also responsible for consuming wood. Pygeum trees, also known as prunus Africana are some of the most sought after trees in the world. Pygeum trees are large evergreen trees that only grow in

Substainable World 5 (October 1998): 13-21

There are few solutions to deforestation and the fuel wood crisis in general because it is such a complex problem. Tree planting programs are not that efficient, reforestation programs can’t be afforded, and foreign aid is almost non-existent because of low return on investment. The government is to busy concentrating on strengthening the economy to see the “big picture.” Somewhere the government has to arrive at a compromise. They must find a way to maintain a healthy economy without damaging the environment further.

Many solar cookers are being developed and experimented with, the most popular being the Sunstove. Manufactured by the non-profit Sunstove Organization, Sunstoves have been developed and tested in parts of Africa since 1992. Today it is the best solar cooker worldwide for several reasons. The stove is rugged, lightweight, simple, and will cook for a family of six. The Sunstove is able to keep large amounts of food warm for a couple of hours after sunset. It can be mass-produced locally from common hand tools, even recycled materials that keep the cost to a minimum. The outer casing can be made from recycled plastic while just about any type of shiny aluminum will work for the inner walls. The bottom can be painted black to absorb and hold heat. On average the sunstove can be built for about eight to ten US dollars and most are sold for around twenty. Sponsoring groups such as governments, clubs, and other organizations are essential to supply the “seed moneyR!

issue 8 .

Darkoh, Michael Bernard Kwesi. Desertification: The Scourge of Africa. 1999 Tiempo

Cameroon. Centre for Environment and Rural Transformation. .

Other uses for wood include the curing of bricks and tobacco, fencing for livestock, tools, and housing. In Zimbabwe wood used for brick making is said to almost equal that of cooking in rural areas. Tobacco plantations alone account for about ¼ of the national fuel wood consumption. Fencing to control livestock in Botswana consumes one and a half times more wood than is used for cooking by farming households. As t

Some common words found in the essay are:
Africa Traditionally, Organization Sunstoves, Watch GFW, International Development, , Institute Research, Kenya Cameroon, fuel wood, ZPG Reporter, Scourge Africa, Magazine Vol, wood crisis, fuel wood crisis, foreign aid, pygeum trees, reforestation programs, southern africa, tree planting programs, soil erosion, planting programs, pygeum bark, tree planting,

Approximate Word count = 1535
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous