Characterization and Efficient Utilization of emerging Wood Fuel Species for Charcoal Production in the Savanna Transition Zone of Ghana
Project Team:
Sparkler, B.S., Obiri, B.D., Derkyi, N.S.A., Dabo, J. and Adjei, R.
Background
Ninety percent (90%) of wood fuel supply in Ghana is derived directly from the natural forest. Over exploitation of traditional hard wood species such as Anogeissus leiocarpus (Kane), Milicia excelsa (Odum) and Khaya senegalensis (Mahogany) has resulted in scarcity of these species. Th is has led to charcoal producers switching to new soft wood species, which produce loads of charcoal dust, burns quickly, and generates charcoal of poor quality. In spite of this shi\Z in tree species used for charcoal production, there is virtually no empirical information on the emerging wood fuel species that are used for charcoal production.