Project Objectives

Biomass energy is a very key energy for the world especially developing countries. Out of the 3 billion people, about 2.5 billion people depend on traditional solid biomass fuels such as wood, charcoal, agricultural waste, and animal dung for cooking and heating (UNDP and WHO, 2009) In Ghana, charcoal is a very important biomass fuel for both the rural and urban communities. Despite its important role it plays mostly for domestic cooking and heating, technology for making charcoal is still underdeveloped in the country. Majority of charcoal producers still depend on traditional methods of production which is wasteful in use of wood, time consuming and produce too much CO2 that is harmful to the producers and the environment as a whole. They use traditional earth kilns, where wood is arranged on the ground, covered with leaves and soil then lit and takes about 2 to 3 days before the charcoal is ready. Modern technologies such as portable metal kiln, takes about 6-14 hours to carbonize the wood to charcoal. Dried wood is loaded in the kiln which has air inlets and chimneys at the bottom to ensure proper air circulation. This is time saving and efficient in production and can make use of small woods like branches to make charcoal. For sustainable production of biomass source to be supplied for the charcoal, it is prudent that, charcoal producers produce their own trees through woodlot projects. This project seeks to combine this two process to produce a renewable and efficient charcoal production system that is sustainable.

The project addresses the causes of deforestation by planting forest continually while selectively harvesting matured trees for efficient production of charcoal. It also enhancing sustainable forest management for biodiversity conservation. The project also seeks to empower more women through various capacity building skills within the renewable charcoal ecosystem, to access efficient energy as well as trade in it for income generation to reduce rural poverty. It will adopt a community base multi- faceted approach and technical training to equip participants in afforestation and efficient carbonization of wood to charcoal. As a result, this multi-faceted approach it, will reduce forest degradation by easing pressure on surrounding natural forest while at the same time the forest serves as a carbon sink and thus removing quantifiable volumes of CO2 from the atmosphere and improve the environmental and socio-economic conditions of people located in the project communities.

As part of Sustainable Energy for Action Agenda, the Ghana Nationally Determined Contributions (GH-NDCs), SDG 7 and 9 by the year 2019, Ghana will achieve a cookstove and biomass fuel licensing regime backed by law. This will require that manufactured fuels and stoves pass some efficiency, safety and emission test to be able to sell in Ghana. At the end of the 2 year project our members will be well equipped with skills to product efficient charcoal and other biomass fuels which will give our members a market advantage over our competitors since we produce fuel that meet the license standards.

Specific Objectives includes:

Objectives Indicators of Achievement/ Expected Result Means of Verification Targets
Overall Goal: To produce and promote clean biomass energy through sustainable production of wood and application of modern carbonation techniques to produce highly calorific charcoal and reduce biomass wastage.

1. Establish additional 120-hectare plantation of fast growing trees for sale as poles and charcoal production.
Woodlot developed with 3 different species trees; cassia, eucalyptus and bamboo Land cleared, seedlings raised and planted on 120hectares of land. Report with images sent to funders 120 ha of degraded land planted
2. Partner GBPL to build the capacity of 50 -100 charcoal producers in application of modern technology to produce efficient charcoal & briquettes Skills acquired to in modern charcoal production of increasing yield from 130kg of charcoal for every ? 180kg of wood (old method) to 240-270kgs of charcoal for every 1000 kgs of wood (Modern techniques)
Skilled in charcoal briquette production from crop residue (corn husks, cob?. ) Production quantity achieved 4 mobile metal kilns acquired and installed.
Skill of 50 women developed in briquette
3. Procurement improved technologies for briquette production. Procured; 10000 seedlings of trees, 2 tricycles, a grinder, 4 improved metal mobile kilns for efficient carbonization & briquette ball making machine Field Visit Equipment for briquette installed and used.

4 .Project Expected Outputs
1. 120 ha of cassia, eucalyptus and bamboo established.
2. Capacity of 100 women charcoal producers developed in the application of modern technology to produce efficient charcoal & briquettes
3. Improved technology in briquette and charcoal acquired and installed
1.5 Description of Project Activities
? Project Kick-off meeting: stakeholder meeting to held and activities and responsibilities well understood
? - Procurement of equipment, tools and machines: - Preparation of Land Training Phase I: -participants to be zone into 5 and training given to them. -Training Phase II: Training on Harvesting of wood, preparation and carbonation of biomass and other forms of fuels. - Training Phase III: Market development The Project has made an arrangement with the Forestry Commission for the release of 120 hectare degraded land in the government forest reserve within its fringes.
? The training will include apply new improved technologies in the carbonization of charcoal, Provide training in business skills and agro waste charcoal production, Provide training in the product development of charcoal briquettes, Cultivate trees for reforestation that will be used for
? Feed stock and Selective harvesting will be done to supply emerged veneer factory and the waste to produce charcoal.
? Procure cassia, eucalyptus and Beema bamboo seedlings for the development of the plantation.
? Training on seedlings production- 100 participants to be zone into 5 and training given to them. -Training Phase II: Training on Harvesting of wood, preparation and carbonation of biomass and other forms of fuels. -