The Significance and Sustainability of Charcoal Production in the ...

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For these reasons, possibilities for sustainable land and forest management and income generating activities are reflected in this study. Deforestation and forest degradation, which are pressing problems in Dakatcha Woodland, are examples of land use and land cover change (LULCC) caused by humans (Nature Kenya 2008: 3). Land cover change analysis by Mwanikah (2008: 42) shows decrease of 19.3 percent in the forest cover for the period 1975 to 1987; -48.4 percent (1987 to 2000) and -58.3 percent from 1975 to 2000 in area including Dakatcha Woodland. Remote sensing (RS) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) provide means to assess the land cover and thus the state of environment. Combined with socio-economic data they offer ways to assess the poverty-environment linkages and offer data to land and forest resource management planning. This study contributes to the existing local land cover data by analyzing four SPOT satellite images from 2005/06 and 2011, and by forming a land cover classification for the said years, thus scrutinizing also the change in land cover. Besides SPOT data, other GIS data (ISRIC 2010; Vagen 2010 etc.), Kenya Topographical maps 1:50,000, and in situ-measurements and observation are utilized for land cover detection. Other important data sources include, e.g.: Diaz-Chavez et al. (2010), FAO (2010a), Hoorweg et al. (2003), and Skidmore ed. (2002). The forest resource use is related to household energy as in Kenya the demand for woodfuel is one of the key drivers of deforestation and land degradation. The fuelwood accounts for 70 percent of all energy consumed nation-wide and up to 90 percent in the rural areas (Diaz- Chavez et al. 2010: 70). Woodfuel energy is an issue that ties together forest resources, livelihoods and sustainable development. The loss of forests and denied access to forest products deprives rural dwellers of the forest goods and services they need for their subsistence and livelihoods. The cost of fuelwood and other forests goods tends to rise as forests become scarcer, with obvious implications for the poor, especially to women. The loss of forests also leads to the loss of wildlife, which can influence harmfully on the tourism and food sources leading to increasing hardship for the poor (CIFOR 2005: 3). On the other hand, forest resources offer income to local households: nearly 40 percent of the local households are involved in charcoal production in Dakatcha Woodland according to Nature Kenya (2010a). That is why the production of woodfuels and household energy consumption are examined in this thesis. Charcoal utilization patterns, and the supply network in the area are studied in detail, via literature review but also through socio-economic assessments (e.g. Nature Kenya 2010a; A Rocha Kenya 2009a & 2009b; KNBS 2007), observation, questionnaires (90 households were assessed in October 2010) and semi-structured expert 3
interviews (2 from October 2010 and 3 from April 2011), to reveal the significance of charcoal production to local livelihoods and environment. The sustainability of charcoal production, and its’ relation to land cover change are reflected, too. 1.1 Aims and motives of the study My inspiration to take up this subject arises from two sources: personal knowledge of the study area and interest towards sustainable livelihoods. I visited the study area part of a field course organized by Department of Geography of University of Helsinki in January 2009, and also conducted my BSc work practice for Nature Kenya in Sabaki Village close by to Dakatcha Woodland in February 2009. Secondly, this study contributes to a Nature Kenya project regarding mapping of Dakatcha Woodland and to the planning and developing the area as it gathers up information about the land cover change, management systems, and local livelihoods and energy consumption and analyzes the sustainability of them from the biodiversity and ecosystem service point of view. The main objective of this study, to contribute to the planning of sustainable management of land and forests, and sustainable livelihoods of the the local population in Dakatcha Woodland, will be achieved by studying the related themes in the local context with varying data and methods. More specifically, the study will reveal some of the local natural resource- livelihood relationships and interrelated factors that contribute positively or negatively to the degradation of resources, and to local livelihoods. First specific objective is to untangle how the livelihoods, in particular the charcoal production, and the energy consumption patterns influence the environment but also acknowledge the role of charcoal production for local livelihoods. It is reached by answering to: What are the local livelihoods and what is the significance of charcoal production in them and what kind of influence it, and by large, the local energy consumption bare to the environment and land cover? Secondly, the study detects the recent land cover change in Dakatcha Woodland area by analyzing in-situ data and satellite imagery in RS and GIS applications. Through this detection, and other data such as relevant literature, it analyzes the relation of livelihoods, especially charcoal production, to the land cover change, and the environmental and socio- economic impact of land cover change in the study area. The second objective is reached by answering the next questions: 1) Of what elements does the land cover consist in Dakatcha 4
Page 1 and 2: Master’s thesis Development Geogr
Page 3 and 4: HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO � HELSINGFORS
Page 5 and 6: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The study was made
Page 7 and 8: 5.1.4 Charcoal network in Dakatcha
Page 9 and 10: LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Coordinate
Page 11 and 12: MA&D Market Analysis & Development
Page 13: y human and natural factors that ca
Page 17 and 18: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and re
Page 19 and 20: 1.2.6 Sustainable development and l
Page 21 and 22: including local communities and the
Page 23 and 24: Microsoft Office 2007 package was u
Page 25 and 26: makers; local dwellers; police men;
Page 27 and 28: 2.2.2 DEM, topographical maps and s
Page 29 and 30: 2.2.3 SPOT- satellite images and th
Page 31 and 32: scenes were converted to ATsatellit
Page 33 and 34: Actual classification was performed
Page 35 and 36: 3. LOCAL SETTING OF DAKATCHA WOODLA
Page 37 and 38: Data for the topography mapping is
Page 39 and 40: The mean annual temperature on the
Page 41 and 42: ushes and climbers usually between
Page 43 and 44: 65: 2.6 percent. The total life exp
Page 45 and 46: ease the adaptation or technology;
Page 47 and 48: (SACCOs) (KNBS 2007: v). Money tran
Page 49 and 50: In 2005, community members establis
Page 51 and 52: 3.2.3 Management of Dakatcha Woodla
Page 53 and 54: woodlands and size of individual la
Page 55 and 56: 58.3 percent from 1975 to 2000. The
Page 57 and 58: issues (Bryant et al. 1997: 17-18).
Page 59 and 60: Table 6. The different interests am
Page 61 and 62: The state remains a central actor i
Page 63 and 64: On the other hand, focusing on land
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(Hakkarainen & Wilska 2007: 95). Le
Page 67 and 68:
exploitation of resources in a prot
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All the changes in forest managemen
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Commercial Afforestation), is a pro
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accumulate assets, but also by crea
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dependent on charcoal (KNBS 2007: 1
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carbon monoxide, methane and partic
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seem to be more productive and prof
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4.5.1 Sustainable woodfuels? Amous
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land-use development plans (Kinyanj
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Household Energy Network (HEDON) st
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same energy consumption and double
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5. RESULTS Results from the questio
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of the households are situated 1,00
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kiosk/other business. 7 households
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The households are experiencing pro
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Figure 19. Household tree species a
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Figure 22. Correlation between fire
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them about the environmental and ot
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Of the 53 households that were prod
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charcoal there (Ruwa 2010). Accordi
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5.1.5 Energy consumption in househo
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said they were promised jobs. MCC C
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5.1.7 Household awareness of excess
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or tree size; the fractional cover
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Mwanikah (2008: 42-44) identified s
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Table 10 presents the hectares and
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From the forest cover classificatio
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summarized in an error matrix. The
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acknowledged, the large amounts of
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Despite the poor conditions, pineap
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several smaller sacks could be foun
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Table 12. Dakatcha Woodland vegetat
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Anthropogenic factors have contribu
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practice, different sections of the
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natural environment and thus deteri
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however, that formalisation of the
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the other hand, the eco-tourism dev
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promoted by the Charcoal Regulation
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My background as a development geog
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Boyd, J. & S. Banzhaf (2007). What
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GOK (2009). The Forest (Harvesting)
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Information Systems for Resources M
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Program, United Nations Department
Page 153 and 154:
APPENDICES: APPENDIX 1 Questionnair
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2.6.8. Is the charcoal produced for
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APPENDIX 2 Signature separability l
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Signature Separability Listing for
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50 Msufi Mwitu Bamba Bombax rhodogn
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158 Mkayamba Delonix regia 159 Vepr
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Ignorance/ illiteracy High populati
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Water 6 5 5 83.33% 100.00% Woodland
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