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Title: | The economic importance of charcoal to rural livelihoods: Evidence from a key charcoal-producing area in Ghana |
Authors: | Brobbey, Lawrence Kwabena Hansen, Christian Pilegaard Kyereh, Boateng Pouliot, Mariéve |
Keywords: | Charcoal Ghana Household income Safety-net Seasonal income gap-filler Sub-Saharan Africa |
Issue Date: | 2019 |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Abstract: | Charcoal is the main source of energy for urban households and a key source of income for rural households in
many developing countries. We used survey data from 400 charcoal- and non-charcoal-producing households
and results from participatory rural appraisals to demonstrate the economic importance of charcoal to rural
livelihoods in a key charcoal-producing area in Ghana. Income from charcoal is the second-most important
source of income, after crops. Contrary to findings of previous studies, high-income households obtain higher
income from charcoal than do low-income households. We quantify charcoal's role as a cash income provider
and found it to be the highest source of cash income to rural households. We find trading in charcoal to provide
substantial income to rural households, albeit for a small section of our sample population. We also demonstrate
the important role of charcoal as seasonal income gap-filler and as safety-net for households that face economic
shocks. Low-income households use charcoal to fill seasonal income gaps because they do not have other sources
of income, or their sources of income are not sufficient at certain periods of the year. High-income households on
the other hand seasonally produce charcoal when it becomes more profitable. Although rural households use
multiple strategies to cope with economic shocks, charcoal production appears to be a dominant strategy. Albeit
an important source of income for many households in the study area, the highest income levels are obtained by
the relative few members involved in charcoal business/trade. In view of this and a projected increase in
charcoal consumption in Ghana and throughout sub-Saharan Africa and indications of a dwindling resource
base, there is an urgent need for careful policy interventions to secure both the economic and environmental
sustainability of charcoal production. |
Description: | This article is published in Elsevier and also available at https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2019.01.013. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/13506 |
ISSN: | 10.1016/j.forpol.2019.01.013. |
Appears in Collections: | College of Agric and Natural Resources
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