Sustainable Charcoal project
The Sustainable Charcoal project aims to minimize damage to the environment by training rural communities in the sustainable use of forest biomass. The goal of the project is instructing charcoal burners in efficient technologies to produce charcoal. The assiduous selection of tree species, reafforestation and general environmental awareness form part of the programme of activities.
Charcoal producers rely on trees for their activity and charcoal is a key source of energy in suburban and rural communities. The project worked with 12 communities, establishing Environmental Action Groups, planted 55,000 trees and grew a further 20,000 saplings and instructed 400 students at ADPP Teacher Training Schools on global warming. Frontline Institute spearheaded activities in the community, including providing training courses for village headmen. An expansion of activities to Luanda and Bengo includes the manufacture and promotion of energy efficient charcoal burning stoves, briquettes made from charcoal residues, the involvement of ADPP polytechnics as implementation centres and Women in Action participants in selling briquettes.