Sustainable woodland management and livelihood options in a charcoal producing region: An agent-based modelling approach

Abstract

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The contribution of charcoal production to rural livelihoods in a semi-arid area in Kenya

“…While the woodlands in our study area can sustain the current levels of charcoal production on the short term, as based on estimates from an agent-based modelling analysis (Kiruki et al 2019), there is a serious problem on the long term. Producers will have to adopt other livelihood strategies in the long run as the carrying capacity of the woodland 1 3 is expected to rapidly decline during the coming decades.…”

“…The distance a charcoal maker covers to the kiln site depends on gender and the type of the charcoal maker. Women usually make charcoal within a radius of 1.5 km from their homes, while Specialists make charcoal far from their homes where there are more woodlands available for charcoal making (Kiruki et al 2019).…”

“…However, the future of charcoal production and the derived benefits for poverty reduction are uncertain as the woodlands in the study area can only sustain the current levels of charcoal production on the short term, but not on the long term (Kiruki et al 2019), meaning that 1 3 its equalizing effect cannot last for long. Furthermore, only 16% of the charcoal income was used to buy and accumulate assets such as livestock or invested in alternative non-land-use livelihood sources (Fig.…”

“…Drought directly influences the quantities of charcoal produced as it was observed that during drought years more charcoal is produced to cater for reduced agricultural income (Kiruki et al 2019). Agricultural production in the study area has been on a downward trend due to a declining rainfall (Mosberg and Eriksen 2015).…”

“…Women mainly consider making charcoal in areas near their homesteads so that they can attend to children and other household chores. In addition, KSGR is considered not safe for them (Kiruki et al 2019). Women have been known to suffer attacks as they collect wood fuel (Haile 1991;Wan et al 2011).…”