Support to the promotion of plantations for the production of wood energy in the provinces of Luanda, Bengo and Huambo, Angola
Starting date: July 2002
Duration: 21 months
Project code: TCP/ANG/2802 (A)
Scope: Trees outside forests, urban and peri-urban forestry
Project summary
In Angola, wood constitutes the main source of domestic energy, building materials and services to rural and peri-urban populations. The needs in domestic energy keep increasing because of strong human pressure, increasing prices of fossil fuels and remoteness of sources of wood supply from high consumption centres. The energy situation shows a strong deficit in most regions, particularly in coastal zones or in proximity of the large urban centres where most displaced or war affected people concentrate, for whom fuelwood is the only source of energy for cooking, heating and lighting. Around the large urban centres and in supplying regions the exploitation of wood materials has led to increasing degradation of the environment where savannah has replaced forests. In order to stop the process, the Government has requested FAO technical assistance within the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP). Between 1990 and 1996, the Institut de Développement Forestier (IDF) benefitted from FAO assistance (TCP/ANG/0051 and TCP/ANG/4452). However, taking into account the war situation in the country, populations have not fully felt the positive results of the assistance. Nevertheless, the strategy then developed regarding the forestry sector is still topical and is part of the Programme of the re-launched agricultural production of the Government, approved in May 2000.
The project aims at promoting better access to wood resources, availability and rational use of wood energy, as well as the re-start of the socio-economic development of the forestry sector.
The project will cover the services of two consultants, a specialist in plantations, forest management and planning (four months in three missions) and a specialist in charcoal burning and improved stoves (three months in two missions) as well as four national consultants (one expert on forestry nurseries/plantations - seven months; one expert in wood energy and improved stoves - six months; one expert in forestry animation/training - five months; and one expert in sensitization, organization and training of women - eleven months), in addition to the FAO technical support services (seven weeks). It will also bear official travel costs, support staff, furniture, equipment and material, training costs and overhead and direct costs of functioning.
This project will cover more adequately the energy needs of vulnerable populations in the provinces of Luanda, Bengo and Huambo and will help safeguard the environment.