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The socio-ecology of firewood and charcoal on the Freetown peninsula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

R. Akindele Cline-Cole
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Extract

In a country which in the last 200 years has undergone continuous and often momentous political, economic and social changes, few things are capable of conveying as strong an impression of stability and changelessness as wood fuel (charcoal and firewood) consumption and production; and nowhere is this more striking than on the Freetown or Western Area (formerly Colony) peninsula. In this region, which has always accounted for the major share of national electricity, kerosene and cooking gas (LPG) consumption, not only is current percentage household firewood consumption only fractionally lower than in the nineteenth century but a much higher proportion of households consume charcoal now than at any time in the last two centuries (Cline-Cole, 1984a). Today firewood and charcoal combined supply a minimum of 80 per cent of total peninsula energy demand for both domestic and non-household uses (Davidson, 1985). Freetown's firewood consumption also represents some 10 per cent of the national total (Atlanta, 1979).

Résumé

La socio-écologie du bois de chauffage et du charbon de bois sur la péninsule de Freetown

Après une brève description du contexte physique et socio-économique de la péninsule de Freetown, l'article analyse les caractéristiques principales de la production et de l'utilisation du bois comme combustible domestique dans la péninsule, en particulier à Freetown, et souligne les implications ou conséquences physiques et humaines de la structure et du fonctionnement du système de livraison du bois comme combustible domestique. Il examine la nature des modifications proposées au système et leurs justifications tout en les évaluant à la lumière des réalités présentes. L'accent est placé sur les impératifs selon lesquels un tel programme doit provenir d'impulsions endogènes et pas exogènes et que les modifications doivent être appropriées aux aspirations et aux besoins locaux.

Type
Ecology and technology
Information
Africa , Volume 57 , Issue 4: Sierra Leone, 1787-1987 , October 1987 , pp. 457 - 497
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1987

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