Charcoal production has been targeted as a critical factor in addressing the escalating climate crisis, as the government issues a ban on charcoal production permits in three districts.
In a decisive move to address the escalating climate crisis, the government has issued a ban on charcoal production permits in three districts. This directive, issued by the Green Economy and Environment Minister, Collins Nzovu, aims to curb deforestation and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The affected districts— Itezhi-tezhi, Mumbwa, and Shibuyunji—have been identified as hotspots for illegal tree cutting, contributing to widespread land degradation and deforestation. The ban comes amidst record-high temperatures, reaching 40 degrees Celsius in February and March, exacerbating the severity of the drought gripping the country.
President Hakainde Hichilema declared the drought a national disaster earlier this year, acknowledging its devastating effects on agriculture, water supply, and energy generation. The resulting power cuts, lasting up to eight hours a day, have heightened reliance on charcoal as a cooking fuel, further exacerbating deforestation.
Minister Nzovu emphasized the critical role of trees in mitigating climate change, highlighting their ability to absorb and store carbon emissions. Preserving forests has become increasingly urgent as Zambia grapples with the dual challenges of climate change and environmental degradation.
Effective immediately, the ban prohibits the issuance of Cord Wood Permits for charcoal production in the designated districts. Individuals currently holding valid permits have until May 1st, 2024, to conclude their charcoal production activities. Stricter enforcement measures, including enhanced patrols and penalties for non-compliance, will be implemented to ensure adherence to the directive.
Below is the Full Press Statement
Zambia is currently experiencing a climate crisis of unprecedented proportions, characterised by record high temperatures,reaching 40 degrees during the months of February and March 2024.These extreme temperatures were particularly severe in areas that were concurrently experiencing record low rainfall levels.The massive cutting down of trees over the years has contributed to the severe drought being experienced in the country.Therefore, in order for us to reduce the impacts of these severe droughts,it is extremely important for all the relevant stakeholders including the traditional leadership,church,non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – to join hands with my ministry to conserve the remaining trees across the country and prevent more severe droughts in future.
Inadequate rainfall has devastating consequences on many sectors such as agriculture,water and energy supply,jeopardizing the national food and energy security and the livelihoods of millions of our people.The current load shedding that we a re experiencing today is a result of climate change with he massive cutting down of trees across the country over the years greatly contributing to this climate disaster.
Trees play a vital role in ensuring that the ecological functions of various ecosystems are safeguarded.Trees are without a doubt the best carbon capture technology in the world,also called carbon sinks.And yet,the trees estates in our country continue to be subjected to a lot of pressure from a number of factors,among which is the numerous requests for degazzettion of forest reserves,high encroachment levels and high levels of illegal logging for charcoal production.this has had massive negative impact in the fight against climate change.
My Ministry has recorded increased levels of deforestation and land degradation due to illegal and massive cutting down of trees for charcoal production,especially in districts such as Itezhi-tezhi,Mumbwa and Shibuyunji.As the stock density of the trees in the said districts is insufficient to support the current levels of charcoal production,it has become evidently clear that there is a need to make drastic changes to enhance the fight against climate change more so that the country is experiencing a severe drought.
It is in light of the above that I direct the Director Forestry to immediately stop the issuance of Cord Wood Permits for the production of charcoal in Itezhi-Tezhi,Mumbwa and Shibuyungi districts pursuant to Section 5(3) of the Forests Act,2015.Persons currently in possession of valid Cord Wood Permits have only up to 1st May,2024 in within which to finalise their charcoal production.Please note that this is just the beginning as more districts will be added as the Forestry Department continues assessing tree stock levels across the country.
I wish to sternly caution that,any person that will be found manufacturing wood into charcoal or offer for sale or removes charcoal in any form from State Land or Customary land IN ANY PART OF THE COUNTRY without a permit commts an offense and will be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both.I further direct that patrols be enhanced to ensure compliance with this directive and persons found wanting must be prosecuted accordingly.
Issued By
Hon.Eng Collins Nzovu ,MP
Minister Green Economy AND ENVIRONMENT
When we were young in school……we were told the BEMBA had a very bad farming method. It was called CHITEMENE! And Kaunda (KK ) and his government were against CHITEMENE . It took time for the BEMBAs to abandon CHITEMENE.
We were also taught that Southern Province and Central Province were the maize belt. NO ONE mentioned about the bad practice of cutting trees. The people of the province continued to cut trees for charcoal. Today the place is becoming a desert. And a lot of the southerners are migrating to MKUSHI, KAPIRI, KABOMPO, NWINILUNGA and even LUAPULA. They are running away from the self inflicted desert. CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL
I never thought Southern province would be among biggest charcoal burners in Zambia. We were only taught about chitemene system in Benbaland. Kanshi na ba Tonga!
Hakainde has gone mad. Zambia does not produce green house gases. We are a completely deindustrialised country. Zambia supposedly receives money because it is a net absorber of greenhouse effects. This money is supposed to compensate the country for not producing greenhouse effects. A few mothers ago, Hakainde had a meeting with white game ranchers at state house. There he signed an agreement deal that he would give them some of this money because they forests on the game ranches absorb green house gases. The game ranches in Zambia on the Southern Province side of the border with Western province. This is why they are now trying to clear the charcoal burners from the area. These people are deprived of their land, and the money is given to white foreigners
@landmark: It is called global warming, not local warming. You cannot raise the temperature exclusively over a village, a town or a country. That being said, the economy of Southern Province was deliberately destroyed by Frederick Chipuba and Michael Satan, who let 2 million of our cattle die of preventable diseases, sabotaged the price of maize, and refused to help the people in the resulting famin. I find it interesting that you are saying Southern Province caused problems for itself, and that we are running to your provinces due to self inflicted harm. We do not need to go anywhere. How many of you live in the land between Kabwe and Livingstone; from Mumbwa, and in all Lusaka Province?????
The people burning this charcoal are from your tribes. I have relatives who go to these areas to bury charcoal. This area is one of the wettest in Southern Province, and what is going on here is that Hakainde is trying to advance the interests of white private game reserve owners. These are the areas where Frederick Chipuba drove the Tonga people off their land and sold it to white people. Hakainde signed a deal with them saying that the money Zambia gets from the West for being carbon negative, will be given to these white game reserve owners for “protecting the trees” which have always been there. If this was about charcoal, they would have started in the copperbelt where they make more charcoal due to concentration of people in a small area, who cannot use dry wood.
Today nobody cares. I did some charcoal burning to raise uniform money. You were strictly supervised by the Kapenda Mabula…. no illegal tree cutting.
Today it is in this area. Tomorrow it will be in your province. We do not have enough land in Southern Province to satisfy the greed and schemes of these white men. Each and every single one who visits our country wants a piece of it for himself. We have had stupid leaders, since Kaunda was removed from power, who have supported and allowed this bullsh!t. This formula did not start in Zambia, it started in Latin America and Asia. They let or even force you to borrow money you cannot pay, then they come for your land and natural resources when you default on the debt. This what they call a debt trap. Please listen to this book, by a man who was employed by the US to do this thing for a living: https://youtu.be/ySefPIZaYT0
You motherfakaz sold the coal of the Tonga people to Indians. You motherfakaz are taking our electricity to power you villages in Mwansabombwe. You motherfakaz have sold our nickel with no benefit whatsoever to us. You motherfakaz have taken our sugar and sold it to who knows where and I can go on and on and on. You say we are in your provinces.. How many of you live in Kabwe, Mumbwa, Chongwe, Kafue, Mazabuka, Monze, Pemba, Choma, Kalomo, Zimba, Livingstone, Itezhi Tezhi, Kazungula…. For every one of us in any of your provinces, there are more than 10 000 of you in our one little land. Your farms are not in Kasama, they are in Lusaka. Your homes are in our cities, so think carefully before you start talking.
Methane contributes a lot to deteriorating of climate. Science teaches that Methane gas damages the ozone layer. You will notice that areas where there is high generation on methane gas are affected .
Three main sources of methane gas that contribute to climate change are:
1. Fossil fuels ( in particular coal)
2. Agriculture( in particular cow dung)
3. Land fills. ( In particular garbage land fills)
LETS STOP GENERATION OF METHANE….. IT DAMAGES THE OZONE LAYER!!
All countries are running away from coal . In south Africa they have closed some coal plants . In England coal plants are closed. The gases generated from firing of coal are damaging to the ozone layer. The only coal plant in Zambia is in Southern province.And you are wondering why we have climate problems there. NZOVU is not talking about it. Instead of closing Maamba coal plant he goes chasing cyclists just carrying a bag of charcoal each.
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This is a very shallow statement by the minister………..
You ban charcoal, what is the alternative cooking fuel ????
A more educated statement would have listed alternative measures to charcoal GRZ is implementing………..
Like using the waiste from nakambala suger and wood processing centers to make bouquets……..
Even the cobs of abundant maize can be used to make bouquets………
As an alternative to malasha…….
Well said, Spaka. In fact, even used fires with unused charcoal can be incorporated in these briquette production process. We do need these brilliant ideas that are already in vogue elsewhere.
You think with June coming and loadshedding people are going to adhere to this ban?
ZESCO please, why is that power in PHI when it comes at 20hrs after loadshedding, they must be interruptions of supply about 3 or 4 times every evening. Just what is the problem. Yesterday power came at 20hrs after load shedding by 20 14hrs, there were 3 outages. Tonight power was restored at 20hrs after loadshedding, now is 20 14hrs it is already gone, and this has been going on for months on end now. Just what is the issue which we are not being told about, we are paying for this service, it is not free please. I don’t even know if we have regulators in this country