Commercial Woodfuel Production : Experience from Three Locally Controlled Wood Production Models

Woodfuels (firewood and charcoal) are
the dominant energy source and the leading forest product
for most developing countries. Representing 60 to 80 percent
of total wood consumption in these nations, woodfuels often
account for 50 to 90 percent of all energy used. Although
woodfuels are widely perceived as cheap and primitive
sources of energy, commercial woodfuel markets are
frequently very large, involve significant levels of
finance, and provide an important source of income through
the supply chain for the rural poor. However, the woodfuel
sector in many developing countries operates informally and
inefficiently, using out-dated technology and delivering
little official revenue to the government. The unsustainable
harvesting of woodfuels to supply large urban and industrial
markets can also contribute to forest degradation and
deforestation. Given the low carbon development opportunity
presented by wood energy, predictions of significant growth
in woodfuel demand make it vital that this industry is
overhauled and modernized using new technologies,
approaches, and governance mechanisms. This report profiles
three promising models of commercial forestry that can
contribute to modernization and rationalization of the wood
energy sector in developing countries: (i) community-based
forest management (CBFM), (ii) private woodlots in
Sub-Saharan Africa, and (iii) forest replacement
associations (FRA) in Latin America.