Abstract

Successful woodfuel value chain governance is dependent on the existence of known policies that are implemented, rules and regulations that are enforced and complied with by value chain actors and institutions with capacity to regulate and render support. Kenya has formulated policies nd enacted legislation for guiding, managing and supporting woodfuel value chains. These policies and legal frameworks have evolved over the years, integrating provisions for sustainable production, distribution and use of woodfuel. However, even with well-developed policies and legislative frameworks, charcoal value chains are inadequately governed, beset by illegality, weak institutional arrangements, overlapping mandates and limited coordination and cooperation. Nonetheless, charcoal value chains have remained resilient despite the bans and moratoria throughout the decades and likely to continue in the foreseeable future. Limited knowledge, lack of incentives for sustainable production and limited support for organized efforts to manage woodfuel resources are contributing to low compliance with rules and regulations. Therefore, the development and implementation of interventions coupled with appropriate investments to incentivize and catalyze sustainable woodfuel production and trade cannot be over emphasized.

Highlights

  • Like most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya is still highly dependent on woodfuel, which meets over 70% of domestic energy demand for cooking and heating (MENR 1994; Kendagor and Prevost 2013; GoK 2015)

  • It has been assumed that economic growth and the resultant increases in household incomes will result in charcoal users switching to modern fuels

  • There is evidence that instead of such a transition, there is a greater energy mix in urban areas where all wealth classes use different energy sources to some degree, a phenomenon commonly known as energy stacking

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Summary

Introduction

Like most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya is still highly dependent on woodfuel, which meets over 70% of domestic energy demand for cooking and heating (MENR 1994; Kendagor and Prevost 2013; GoK 2015). In most countries the policy and legislaltive frameworks have evolved over the years, integrating provisions for woodfuel production and use, charcoal has been banned repeatedly Subsequent policies increasingly focused on sustainable supply and efficient use of woodfuel, this came after several attempts that included the Draft Forest Policy of 2005 (Mbuthi 2009), Draft Forest Policy Sessional Paper No 4 of 2006 and Draft Sessional Paper No 1 on Forest Policy 2007 (MENR 2006). These had a stronger focus on regulation of the production and marketing of charcoal, but they remained as drafts. It was until the National Forest Policy 2014 was enacted that issues of reducing llegality was promoted with the aim of establishing a chainof-custody and certification system for all traded wood and wood products (MEWNR 2014)

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