Sustainable+ charcoal initiative ghana

1. SUSTAINABLE+ BAMBOO CHARCOAL FOR STRONGER RURAL INCOMES PROGRAM Supporting a transformational impact for the traditional charcoal industry in Ghana

2. ABOUT GREEN CROSS GHANA Green Cross Ghana is a national non-profit organization affiliated to Green Cross International, an NGO founded by H.E. Mikhaïl Gorbatchev, the former President of the Republic of Russia. The mission of Green Cross Ghana (GCG) is to help ensure a just, sustainable and secure future for all by fostering a value shift and cultivating a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility in humanity's relationship with nature.Green Cross Ghana is a rapidly expanding NGO in operation since 3 years that has successfully ventured into the Clean Water sector. Our flagship progam, ‘’ Smart Water for Green Schools’’supports the installation of boreholes, rainwater harvesting systems and ecological latrines in schools throughout Ghana.Green Cross Ghana has established a recent practice to deliver a lasting impact in respect of clean energy & waste management initiatives in Ghana.

3. CONTEXT Bamboo, a non-timber forest product has been designated by the Government of Ghana as a viable alternative woody source for firewood and charcoal production, to maximize environmental conservation and sustainable resource exploitation.The National Bamboo and Rattan Development Program (BARADEP) under the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources is tasked with developing a bamboo-based industry for Ghana. Green Cross counts among the few and most prominent NGOs supporting this government-led effort. Large stocks of Bamboo plantations exist within rural communities in Ghana and we propose to introduce a sustainable model of bamboo exploitation and conversion to charcoal, using mobile improved retort kilns and cargo bicycles. Our model we call “the village-owned sustainable charcoal facility” offers a new and innovative approach which holds the potential to be adopted nationwide.

4. SUSTAINABLE+CHARCOAL WHY CHARCOAL?● Charcoal is to remain the main source of cooking in Ghana till 2025 (firewood and charcoal represent over 60% of the country’s total energy consumption)●Recent renewed interest of traditional Biomass-as-a cooking source with the creation of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. Approach needs to be complemented through working with the traditional Charcoal industry which can make a big difference. ● The program is part of our multi-energy portfolio approach to offer improvements to key existing energy/lighting sources but also support the advent of a clean energy era in Ghana.WHAT ? ● Is charcoal that is produced in a more sustainable and efficient manner with minimum environmental impact ● It enhances the livelihoods of rural poor ● Should aim to achieve at least 25% efficiency converting wood or biomass to charcoal

5. OBJECTIVES COMMUNITY-BASED OBJECTIVES ●To assist the community of Tandan, a rural township located in the Western region of Ghana to exploit their bamboo wild plantations as new, sustainably-managed sources for charcoal production.SYSTEM-WIDE OBJECTIVES● To introduce a new market-based charcoal production Infrastructure as a Service benefiting traditional charcoal producers and agro-residue resource owners, often overlooked actors in the contribution to climate mitigation and rural income generation● To support the development of women-led bamboo charcoal distribution points in Accra, the main consumption city. ● To promote the use of bamboo charcoal as a viable alternative among consumers in Ghana.

6. EXECUTION MODEL Aim is to introduce a number of clean technologies (highly efficient retort kilns, cargo bicycles) bundled under an innovative market-based infrastructure which benefit traditional charcoal producers. Nicknamed the “community-operated sustainable+ charcoal facility”, this is a village plot that hosts within its premises, a minimum of 4 mobile retort kilns and 4 cargo bicycles that serve for the conversion of bamboo to charcoal. Existing charcoal producers but also bamboo growers within the area (just like cassava growers would go to a grinding machine facility) can avail collection, transport and carbonization services. ● The cargo bicycle, a clean mode of rural transportation serves for the transport of the bamboo stock to the facility. ●The grower brings his bamboo stock to the central facility where the retort boasts an efficiency of 30% against the earth-mound efficiency of 10-15%. The facility is maintained by individuals designated among the community who offer such services for a fee. The charcoal is then packaged within the facility premises, with the bulk of the production sent to main consumption centres such as Accra and Takoradi, where a network of low-income women earners undertake the retail distribution.

7. LAYOUT OF EXECUTION MODEL

8. INNOVATIONS IN OUR MODEL

9. TECHNOLOGIES Cargo Bikes re-engineering options of: (1) Bamboo-made bicycles byBamboo Bikes Ltd. Ghana with support from the Bamboo Project and WorldBike

10. Introduce in Ghana and re-engineering options of: The “CPTI Retort”, a retort kiln designed by the Center for the Improvement of Industrial Techniques of Côte d’Ivoire. Commandited as part of the WAMU Regional Biomass Program and widely in use by the National Forest Development Authority of Côte d’Ivoire.

11. TANDAN PROJECT Location: ● The township of Tandan in the Western Region of GhanaBeneficiaries of the project : ● Generate rural employment of 30persons as bamboo outgrowers and facility workers ● 20 disadvantaged women as bamboo charcoal saleswomen in Accra earn a living income ● 350 households (approx. 1500 persons) benefit from a cleaner and more efficient-burning charcoal

12. BEYOND TANDAN PROJECT Use the charcoal facility to host a physical national training centre where candidate villages for expansion can send designated out-growers or charcoal producers for immersion or training. Beneficiaries of the project : ● 100 representatives of candidate villages are trained to support the expansion of the program in their respective communities

13. CURRENT AND NEXT STEPS

14. FUNDING SUPPORT REQUESTED • Design and prototyping exercise for the kiln and cargo bicycle• Infrastructure acquisition and construction of the Facility• Post-charcoal quality production tests• Market research studies comprised of a qualitative/quantitative product testing of bamboo charcoal and a quantitative Habits and Attitudes survey of the population on charcoal usage• Out growers and rural workers’ training including among others developing local dialects, audio-based materials on optimal carbonization courses• Sponsoring of 100 village-designated representatives to be trained at demonstration center• Staff salaries •Business plan preparation for the creation of an energy service company as provider of biomass-to-sustainable+ charcoal facilities and charcoal distributor

15. CONTACTS Richard Seshie, Clean Energy Practice Leader richards@greencrossghana.org info@greencrossgahna.org rickyci@hotmail.com 00233(0)260759275