Biomass briquettes: a novel incentive for managing papyrus wetlands sustainably?

Papyrus, Forest Resources and Rural Livelihoods: A Village Computable General Equilibrium Analysis from Northern Zambia

“…The break-even point of a briquette production system, consisting of a locally available oil drum and a metal press valued at 30 US$, would be reached after approximately 3 months for a male or 1 month for a female headed household. Morrison et al [44] found that papyrus briquettes compare favorably with wood charcoal in terms of calorific value and use characteristics. Table 2 indicates that households' consumption of firewood and charcoal decreases.…”

“…The metal press for the production of cuboid briquettes can easily be manufactured locally and rarely has to be replaced if manufactured correctly. It can be operated by a single individual [44], whereas the work in connection with the carbonization process at the oil drum requires 1 -2 individuals [46]. According to MIT's D-Lab [46] a farmer can produce enough briquettes to pay for the equipment and start making a profit in less than a month.…”

“…However, being of low density, large volumes of papyrus are required to produce sufficient heat for cooking [26]. Furthermore, users complain excessive amounts of smoke and ash when burning papyrus [43] [44]. On the other hand, papyrus plant material has been shown to have significant potential as a domestic fuel in the form of briquettes [19] [44]…”

“…Morrison et al [44]. Bundles of dried culms were carbonized using a methodology developed by MIT's D-Lab [46].…”

“…The FftF process is relatively simple, requires minimal technical expertise and utilizes locally available materials. At Lake Naivasha, Kenya, the briquettes compare favorably with wood charcoal in terms of calorific value and use characteristics, with lower emissions and therefore fewer concerns regarding human health compared to direct biomass burning [44]. A further example of using FftF-technology comes from Tanzania, where a non-profit organization is producing and selling nearly 2000 tons of carbonized briquettes per year made from coconut and rice husks, maize stalks and tree clippings.…”