Benin
Health
Training dogs to detect breast cancer, a method for screening disadvantaged women in Benin
Bamboo-based charcoal and firewood for cooking: a step towards curbing deforestation in Uganda
- Completed project
While forests are heavily exploited by Ugandans for firewood and cooking charcoal, a pilot study led by Uganda Christian University (UCU) concluded that the use of bamboo could advantageously replace these fuels to support the country’s reforestation. By funding the second phase of the project, FID is helping to confirm the suitability of green charcoal from bamboo for cooking purposes and its potential contribution to climate change mitigation by preserving trees.
Project ported by:
Context
95% of the East African population use firewood and charcoal sources of cooking energy. In Uganda, the major type of fuel used for cooking among education institutions is firewood (90% of institutions) in combination with charcoal (14%), and 85% for hotels and restaurants.
The result is a significant decrease in forest cover, from 24% in the 1990s to 7% by 2020. With one of the highest population increase, the deforestation rates will most likely still increase, resulting in undesirable environmental consequences. The use of smoky black firewood also lowers the quality of kitchen air, causing health problems for kitchen workers.
Innovation
To help restore forests and conserve its natural heritage, UCU, through its Sustainable Development Center, is promoting the use of green charcoal from bamboo plantations to replace firewood and charcoal as fuel.
A pilot phase that burnt bamboo charcoal in the same cooking stove as clay-based briquettes has shown successful results. The briquettes act as a “capacitor” by absorbing some of the energy released by the green charcoal, while slowly releasing their own energy from the charcoal powder also made from bamboo and incorporated into the briquette.
Two main results emerge: slow burning is feasible, matching Ugandan’s cooking habits, and cooking energy costs are reduced compared to using only unsustainable black charcoal
Results and lessons learned
At the end of this first preparatory phase, several important observations and lessons were drawn, highlighting the potential of YAZINI bamboo as a sustainable alternative to black firewood and charcoal. Notably:
- Promising usability and acceptability: Various test groups reported high satisfaction with YAZINI bamboo as a cooking fuel and with comparable energy performance to firewood, indicating favorable conditions for adoption.
- Behavioral insights on fuel switching: Despite some reluctance to switch from traditional black firewood to YAZINI charcoal, initial tests suggested that focusing on YAZINI firewood offers the highest likelihood of successful adoption, based on existing cooking habits.
- Micropropagation and species selection: The most efficient bamboo species (B. Vulgaris and D. Asper) were identified, and a micropropagation laboratory was established at the UCU campus to develop a locally adapted propagation protocol.
- Comparable energy performance: Unlike raw bamboo, YAZINI bamboo is not distinguishable from hardwood firewood in terms of energy release rate, thus preserving traditional cooking methods, a quality appreciated by users.
Projects
Projects funded by FID
South Africa
Employment
Expanding job opportunities for disadvantaged youth in South Africa
Pakistan
Health
An AI-powered software to enhance stroke treatment in Pakistan