Report ECA/FAO subregional seminar on fuelwood and energy development for African women (Lusaka, Zambia)

Abstract

In African countries*-for the past few years, great concern has been expressed about desertification-problems, caused by the indiscriminate felling and use actress-for fuelvood and charcoal, upsetting the ecological balance of the environment. This uncontrolled felling of trees by rural populations searching for wood has often led to the total destruction of the vegetative cover without regeneration, resulting in extensive soil erosion. Consequently it seems necessary to seek a controlled utilization of those species most adapted to better production and to cultivate and exploit these species in order to increase the production of timber for both commercial and domestic