Understanding the reasons for forest encroachment: The driving force is the need for firewood. This is caused by the need for cheap sources of cooking energy and the need for employment. To solve these two issues, people resort to cutting down trees for firewood affecting the natural habitat for plants and animals.
Site selection: Consideration is made for site selection that is close to the source of raw materials and the targeted population and building of structures.
Raw Material sourcing. The first step is to consider establishing the potential availability of agricultural waste that can be used in the process of producing the briquettes.
Processing and production This involves sorting and grinding. Then the sorted materials are pressed into briquettes which are then sent for drying and testing to establish durability of the briquettes.
Community involvement: Durability of the briquettes to the community is done through participatory cooking demonstration. Community leaders are invited to explain the benefits.
Biodiversity conservation: When communities become aware of the availability briquettes meeting their cooking and employment needs trees are no longer cut down hence preserving the natural habitats for animals and plants species.
Community awareness is the most important success factor. Other factors include continued availability of the briquettes since any delay to distribute them will lead the community to go back to their old system.
Governments and donor agencies have to come in and support such type of initiatives.
Alternative sources of raw materials. Agricultural residues are seasonal, and this requires collecting huge quantities when they are available or finding substitutes for continued production.
Passion is the driving force. Most of the communities have been rooted in their traditional cultures that forests are the only sources of firewood and income generation. It is hard to convince these people to change. Without passion and commitment, the projects can fail because acceptability takes long.
There is need to offer incentives to the communities such as encouraging them to practice agroforestry business that can be used to conserve rare species of animals and plants that can be used to attract tourists.
One of the challenges is failure to establish partnerships with raw materials suppliers because it becomes hard when the sources are scattered and unorganized.