Supporting sustainable livelihoods and food security through renewable biomass. Ideas Marketplace presentation from INBAR - The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan. Presented at Agriculture, Landscapes and Livelihoods Day 5 in Doha Qatar, 3 December 2012. http://www.agricultureday.org

1. The International
Network for
Bamboo and
Rattan
Bamboo household energy for Africa – supporting sustainable livelihoods
and food security through renewable biomass
The Problem: Shortage of household energy
→ Health (respiratory diseases from dirty biomass fuels)
→ Deforestation (biomass driven dramatic decline in forest
cover)
→ Increasing land pressure for energy and food biomass
The Solution: Bamboo charcoal production
→ Fast growing, indigenous to Africa and highly renewable
resource
→ Burns with little residues
→ Creates income for rural communities
→ Supports food security
The Method: South-South technology transfer from
Asia to Africa (Ghana and Ethiopia)
→ More than 10,000 households adopted bamboo as energy
source
→ 20% reduction of use of wood charcoal in project areas
→ Over 10,000 ha of wild bamboo converted into managed
stands
→ Next: Up-and out-scaling in Africa
Funded by: www.inbar.int