6 The Status and Future of Charcoal in the Energy …
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6.8 Charcoal in International Markets
and Africa’s Role as a Major Exporter
The charcoal trade within Africa’s local markets has been discussed at
length by Nabukalu and Gieré (2019) and Shively et al., (2010), using
Uganda as an example. Even though local markets consume most charcoal produced in Africa, inter-Africa trade exists. For instance, Ladu
(2018) and Branch and Martiniello (2018), highlighting the growth in
the Uganda-to-South Sudan charcoal exports, showed that in order to
avoid return trips without cargo, after delivery of consignments, truck
drivers transport charcoal to South Sudan’s capital Juba, as middlemen
to make additional income. Zimmermann and Joubert (2002) also documented the export of Namibia’s charcoal to South Africa, where it is used
for silicon smelting. While an illegal process, large amounts of charcoal
are still traded from Ethiopia to Somalia (Bekele & Girmay, 2013), and
from Nigeria to Cameroon, Niger and Benin (Goswami, 2018).
Despite the persistent presence of charcoal as a legally traded
commodity in international markets, the unsustainable production
processes of its supply chain, as well as Africa’s role as a significant
exporter to the rest of the world are not widely studied or documented.
The amount of charcoal exported by Africa is hard to gauge for various
reasons:
1. Informality in the trade leads to limited record-keeping upstream or
downstream, and often to a lack of measurement of material inputs
and outputs.
2. As an export commodity, charcoal is often classified with other ‘wood
products’ (Trading Economics, 2020), and its true quantity and
monetary value are difficult to distinguish from other wood, but
non-energy commodities.
3. Illegal and without-permit production also means that the product
is often smuggled across borders (Bekele & Girmay, 2013), thus
bypassing standard valuation, customs and tracking procedures.
The international trade of charcoal is sustained by demand in countries that do not necessarily lack electricity or alternatives, such as LPG
215
6.8 Charcoal in International Markets
and Africa’s Role as a Major Exporter
The charcoal trade within Africa’s local markets has been discussed at
length by Nabukalu and Gieré (2019) and Shively et al., (2010), using
Uganda as an example. Even though local markets consume most charcoal produced in Africa, inter-Africa trade exists. For instance, Ladu
(2018) and Branch and Martiniello (2018), highlighting the growth in
the Uganda-to-South Sudan charcoal exports, showed that in order to
avoid return trips without cargo, after delivery of consignments, truck
drivers transport charcoal to South Sudan’s capital Juba, as middlemen
to make additional income. Zimmermann and Joubert (2002) also documented the export of Namibia’s charcoal to South Africa, where it is used
for silicon smelting. While an illegal process, large amounts of charcoal
are still traded from Ethiopia to Somalia (Bekele & Girmay, 2013), and
from Nigeria to Cameroon, Niger and Benin (Goswami, 2018).
Despite the persistent presence of charcoal as a legally traded
commodity in international markets, the unsustainable production
processes of its supply chain, as well as Africa’s role as a significant
exporter to the rest of the world are not widely studied or documented.
The amount of charcoal exported by Africa is hard to gauge for various
reasons:
1. Informality in the trade leads to limited record-keeping upstream or
downstream, and often to a lack of measurement of material inputs
and outputs.
2. As an export commodity, charcoal is often classified with other ‘wood
products’ (Trading Economics, 2020), and its true quantity and
monetary value are difficult to distinguish from other wood, but
non-energy commodities.
3. Illegal and without-permit production also means that the product
is often smuggled across borders (Bekele & Girmay, 2013), thus
bypassing standard valuation, customs and tracking procedures.
The international trade of charcoal is sustained by demand in countries that do not necessarily lack electricity or alternatives, such as LPG