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Kafa is the birthplace of wild coffee, Coffea arabica, where it has been consumed for more than 1,000 ans. There are now close to 5,000 wild varieties of coffee in this biodiversity hotspot. A unique coffee culture is deeply ingrained in the Ethiopian economy and history. This culture is a key element of the participatory forest management scheme created in the Kafa Biosphere Reserve to avoid deforestation and boost economic development.
NABU (The German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) and its partners have worked towards the preservation of these forests obtaining the establishment of the UNESCO Kafa Biosphere Reserve in June 2010 and implementing the project: “Climate Protection and Preservation of Primary Forests – A Management Model using the Wild Coffee Forests in Ethiopia as an Example“.
Le projet a atteint la production et la distribution de 11200 poêles à sauver habitants si collaboration avec le département de l'énergie l'énergie. 70 jeunes chômeurs ont été formés organisée et équipée et déployée en 11 la production et 25 sites satellites.
The dependency on biomass energy: a driving force for deforestation
© Mesfin Tekle
Only 40 il ya des années, certains 40% of the Ethiopian land surface was occupied by forests. Aujourd'hui, less than 3% remains, largely in the Kafa coffee biosphere reserve, which still boasts large areas of mountainous afromontane cloud forest. The forest ecosystem makes an important contribution to the livelihoods of people in the area. It provides wild coffee, valuable spices and honey from wild bees. It also contains some 25 million tons carbon in above-ground biomass. Certains 600,000 tons of carbon could be removed from the atmosphere annually through natural forest growth – if the forest remains intact. But it is endangered due to clear-cutting for smallholder agriculture and industrial coffee and tea plantations, and the intensive use of biomass.
Ethiopie accueille actuellement 96 pour cent de ses besoins en énergie à partir de biomasse. En raison de ce fait, de nombreux ménages satisfaire leur demande par la coupe des arbres forment les forêts naturelles disponibles / terres boisées et arbustes. Cette situation a été citée comme l'une des forces motrices de la déforestation. Semblable à d'autres parties de la population des pays de Kafa utilisent principalement des produits du bois pour le feu. Le bois provient des forêts voisines. En plus de cela, le combustible de la biomasse est surtout utilisée inefficacement. Cela a un rapport direct avec le revenu du ménage et budget temps. Le plus inefficace le bois est utilisé le plus de temps que les femmes et les enfants se consacrer à la collecte de bois de chauffage.
There is no electric power plant in the Biosphere Reserve. Electricity is supplied only to a few areas of the reserve by an external hydro-power plant.
Energy-efficient stoves and other renewable energy sources
© Katrin Lammers. The solar system in Gimbo.
Among the activities carried out by NABU’s Climate and Forest Project to mitigate the impact of meeting energy requirement using biomass, there are two main lines of action: promotion of community plantations with fast-growing tree species as fuel wood and introduction of efficient wood-burning stoves.
In this last case, the target of the project is to introduce energy-saving stoves to the communities in Kafa Biosphere Reserve. 11200 stoves were distributed until September 2012. The plan says that 10000 stoves will be distributed to households with high wood consumption by September 2012. La nouvelle technique de ces poêles non seulement réduit la quantité de bois nécessaire à la cuisson de moitié, Il enregistre également les forêts, le temps pour l'utilisateur et produit moins de fumée et du feu. The stoves are therefore a source of great relief to the people and the forest and have been very well received.
Pour produire et distribuer des poêles NABU travaille en étroite collaboration avec le Département Zone Kafa pour l'eau, Mines et de l'Énergie. Dans le cadre de cette coopération 70 jeunes chômeurs ont été formés en tant que producteurs de poêles et soutenus pour démarrer leur entreprise de production.
In collaboration with GLEN (Global Education Network of Young Europeans) a study has been conducted on alternative energy sources where coffee husk briquets, bio-gaz et l'énergie solaire sont apparus tout aussi pertinent.
Annually, in the area of biosphere reserve, sur 100 t of coffee husk is produced. This represents an ideal material for briquetting. But not only the coffee husk: dry leftovers from other crops processing (e.g. maize, sorghum etc.) can be used as well. Another source is biogas production, based on two big potential sources: cattle dung and coffee pulp.
The Kafa Water, Mining and Energy Department has started to implement some renewable energy programs in its “5 years strategic plan” – starting from 2011. 450 PV solar panels were distributed until September 2012.
Lessons learned and potential replicability
The acceptance of wood-saving stoves is very high and they are easily adapted by users. Recommended publications, local communication and education are essential. The importance of the training programme for young people to help them expand their own knowledge of climate and forest protection is recognised. In turn, they can share this knowledge and raise the awareness of other members of their communities.
With regard to energy, solar power has a high potential and there are multiple benefits of using solar energy in the area. But before installing new panels it is necessary to prepare and train technical staff that will work in the zone.
The successful results of this project may have a significant impact on other areas of the region with similar characteristics and needs. This would be the case of Yayu Biosphere Reserve, also in Ethiopia, and of other similar areas, like the Ituri region in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
