Energy forestry and use of biomass fuels in Ethiopia

Abstract.  Pohjonen, V. 1988. Energy forestry and use of biomass fuels in Ethiopia.  Paper presented in the International seminar on "Strategies and Means of Development: South and North" held in Nurmes, Finland on 4th - 7th August, 1988. 11 p.

Energy from biomass counts over 90 per cent of the energy use in Ethiopia.  Since the indigenous forests have largely been cut, fuelwood is no more sufficient.  Substitute fuels cow dung and crop residues must have been taken in use.

Decimating of natural forests is going on at rate of 100,000 - 200,000 ha/a, which is 10 times above the re-establishment of new forests by planting.  To reduce the harmful effects of overcutting the forests for fuel, and of using cow dung and crop residues as substitute fuels, establishment of fuelwood plantations is needed.

Eucalyptus globulus growing in Sekela, Amhara region,
Ethiopia. One-year saplings in front, older trees behind.
Picture taken at rainy season 2011 (3.9.2011)

Energy forestry with eucalypts is known since 1895 to the dwellers of the central highlands where rainfall is high enough for tree planting.  The biggest fuelwood plantations, 19,800 ha planted before the 1975 land reform, grow in the green belt of Addis Ababa.  Additional fuelwood plantations of about 14,000 ha have been established with funding from international organizations.  The total area of fuelwood plantations in Ethiopia is about 100,000 ha.

Eucalyptus globulus is the main species grown for fuel.  Although some doubts of the ecological suitability of eucalypts for plantations exist, the advantages of high production, coppicing and the non-palatability of the leaves for cattle overweigh the disadvantages of low erosion control and high demand for water and nutrients.

Author's address: United Nations, Africa Hall, UNDP, P.O. Box 5580, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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Tämä teksti kuuluu esitelmään, jonka pidin Nurmeksessa 4.6.1988. Kansainvälisen tilaisuuden olivat järjestäneet Joensuun yliopiston silloiset assistentit Saara Pyy ja Antti Erkkilä.
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page created 10.10.2011, updated 22.10.2011