Forest Landscape Restoration through a Sustainable Wood Energy Value Chain

Snapshot Solution
Improved box kiln filled with dry wood
GIZ

 

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.

Last update: 31 May 2021
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Context
Challenges addressed
Drought
Land and Forest degradation
Loss of Biodiversity
Wildfires
Ecosystem loss
Lack of alternative income opportunities
Lack of technical capacity
Poor monitoring and enforcement
Lack of infrastructure
Poor governance and participation
Unemployment / poverty
Scale of implementation
Local
Subnational
National
Ecosystems
Agroforestry
Tropical deciduous forest
Tropical grassland, savanna, shrubland
Theme
Access and benefit sharing
Biodiversity mainstreaming
Habitat fragmentation and degradation
Adaptation
Disaster risk reduction
Mitigation
Ecosystem services
Erosion prevention
Restoration
Sustainable financing
Gender mainstreaming
Legal & policy frameworks
Health and human wellbeing
Sustainable livelihoods
Infrastructure maintenance
Indigenous people
Traditional knowledge
Fire management
Land management
Outreach & communications
Science and research
Forest Management
Location
Damongo, Savannah, Ghana
Kintampo, Bono East, Ghana
Atebubu, Bono East, Ghana
West and Central Africa
Impacts

 

The afforestation of degraded areas reduces the pressure on wood resources in existing natural forests and agroforestry areas. Rehabilitating forest landscapes avoids greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and restores natural carbon sinks, leading to an increased carbon sequestration contributing to climate change mitigation. Furthermore, the solution promotes the more energy-efficient use of energy wood, which in turn contributes to lower wood consumption and thus again to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Through training, rural communities increase their knowledge and capacities in establishing tree nurseries and energy wood plantations, in the restoration and management of their natural resources and the sustainable and efficient production of charcoal. Protection of natural forests, including valuable tree species and capacity building in the use and marketing of Non-Timber-Forest-Products provide further, sustainable income sources. A better regulation on the production and trading of charcoal reduces unsustainable and illegal activities. By introducing green fire belts and agroforestry systems, damages on farms through bush fires, wind erosion, floods and droughts are reduced in the long term. The experience gained will be disseminated at regional level within West Africa.

Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 1 – No poverty
SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
SDG 5 – Gender equality
SDG 7 – Affordable and clean energy
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 15 – Life on land
Connect with contributors
Other contributors
Vida Arthur
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Ghana