Every day, dozens of trucks loaded with charcoal set off from various parts of the country, particularly outside the capital Kigali, transporting cooking energy to urban centres.

To those involved, this is a profitable business, but it also means that several hectares of forests are decimated by the day leading to environmental degradation.

Studies have shown that wood and charcoal remain the major sources of cooking energy in the country, at a rate of 85 per cent, according to a recent study by the Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA).

The study also revealed that 72 per cent of people in Kigali use charcoal for cooking.

Though there are no exact figures, Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts in the Southern Province are among the top charcoal producers in the country.

The volume of trees being felled to generate charcoal, firewood and timber, in the two districts has been a major source of concern, with many people fearing that the charcoal industry could damage the local ecosystem and affect climate.

But local authorities say the industry is strictly regulated and insist they are always on the watch out to ensure that everyone involved abides by the existing laws and regulations.

One of the measures in place is the strict control of the issuance of permits to harvest trees, the leaders argue.

Efforts are also underway to ensure that trees cut down are replaced, with regular and constant reforestation and afforestation exercises.

The Mayor of Nyaruguru, Francois Habitegeko, says environmental protection "remains a top priority” .

"We inject over Rwf70 million in tree planting annually to ensure that our environment remains safe,” Habitegeko says.

And their interventions do not end at tree planting, he insists.

Efforts to find alternative sources of energy are also underway, with people being encouraged to adopt biogas, gas and electricity as alternative sources of energy.

Energy saving stoves are also being encouraged within the local community to reduce on the amount of fire wood consumed, Habitegeko notes.

"The more we diversify the sources of energy, the more the pressure on forests will continue to reduce,” Habitegeko says.

This fiscal year his district targets to help at least 120 households install biogas in their houses up from 60 last year.

In the neighbouring Nyamagabe District, authorities also say they are working hard to ensure that the charcoal industry does not affect the environment.

"Every year, we elaborate measures to protect the environment and ensure its sustainability,” says the district mayor, Philbert Mugisha.

"I can assure you that the amount of trees felled remains considerably low compared to those planted.”

This year, the mayor says, the district targets to plant trees on at least 1,200 hectares.

"We are working with our partners to ensure proper environmental management,” Mugisha says, quashing fears that the charcoal industry might be a threat to local forests.

Efforts to promote biogas and energy saving stoves, among others, are also underway in the district, he notes.

The district is also looking at ways of producing ecological charcoal from waste collected from Nyamagabe town.

The production of the briquette, which will be processed at a modern dumpsite built outside the town will start soon, according to the mayor.

"Once production starts, it will reduce demand for charcoal by providing alternative sources of energy,” he says.

Concerns on production

But though authorities remain optmistic over the regulation of the charcoal industry, another area of concern is about the traditional charcoal production process.

Experts say the traditional techniques involved in producing charcoal cause more harm to the environment due to high carbon monoxide emitted during the burning process.

Apart from air pollution, gases also destroy the ozone layer, leading to global warming, which is responsible for climate change.

But there seems to be a solution to that.

Today, authorities are encouraging charcoal burners to use improved kilns which limit wood usage during the burning process and the amount of gases emitted in the air.

The use of improved kilns could help save up to 244 hectares of forests annually, officials say.Currently, 28.8 per cent of Rwanda’s surface area is occupied by forests with a target of raising it to at least 30 per cent by 2018.

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