Criminals by necessity: the risky life of charcoal transporters in Malawi
Criminals by necessity: the risky life of charcoal transporters in Malawi
The charcoal industry in sub-Saharan Africa plays a substantial role providing growing urban populations with domestic energy. However, concerns about its environmental impacts have led to punitive policies, resulting in the criminalisation of charcoal-based livelihoods. One factor constraining the development of more effective policy approaches is limited data on the impacts of regulations on the socio-economic outcomes of different value chain actors. We focus on one group of actors: charcoal transporters, who supply charcoal to Zomba, a medium-sized city in Southern Malawi. Drawing on a survey of 201 transporters, we find that they are attracted by fast cash-in-hand, low capital requirements and the lack of alternative local employment opportunities. Both men and women participate, yet transport methods are gendered. Men, who typically transport charcoal on a bicycle, earn three times as much per week as those who carry charcoal on their heads, the main method used by women. However, bicycle users incur higher financial risk due to costs associated with confiscations and damage to bicycles. Unlike in larger cities, an urban elite does not dominate the supply chain in Zomba. We argue that punitive targeting of small-scale charcoal transporters serves only to push them deeper into poverty and does nothing to contribute to sustainable resource management.
forestry, forest management, livelihoods, governance, income generation, supply chain, charcoal, NTFP (Non Timber Forest Product), energy, informal markets
1-16
Smith, Harriet Elizabeth
49931e5c-abff-42d8-b91d-73beab1b156b
Eigenbrod, Felix
43efc6ae-b129-45a2-8a34-e489b5f05827
Kafumbata, Dalitso
3468d2ca-a590-4d61-8b37-e1630419f192
Hudson, Malcolm D.
1ae18506-6f2a-48af-8c72-83ab28679f55
Schreckenberg, Kate
307aecda-fa85-410b-a7ab-4a091afa25a4
17 August 2015
Smith, Harriet Elizabeth
49931e5c-abff-42d8-b91d-73beab1b156b
Eigenbrod, Felix
43efc6ae-b129-45a2-8a34-e489b5f05827
Kafumbata, Dalitso
3468d2ca-a590-4d61-8b37-e1630419f192
Hudson, Malcolm D.
1ae18506-6f2a-48af-8c72-83ab28679f55
Schreckenberg, Kate
307aecda-fa85-410b-a7ab-4a091afa25a4
Smith, Harriet Elizabeth, Eigenbrod, Felix, Kafumbata, Dalitso, Hudson, Malcolm D. and Schreckenberg, Kate
(2015)
Criminals by necessity: the risky life of charcoal transporters in Malawi.
Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, .
(doi:10.1080/14728028.2015.1062808).
Abstract
The charcoal industry in sub-Saharan Africa plays a substantial role providing growing urban populations with domestic energy. However, concerns about its environmental impacts have led to punitive policies, resulting in the criminalisation of charcoal-based livelihoods. One factor constraining the development of more effective policy approaches is limited data on the impacts of regulations on the socio-economic outcomes of different value chain actors. We focus on one group of actors: charcoal transporters, who supply charcoal to Zomba, a medium-sized city in Southern Malawi. Drawing on a survey of 201 transporters, we find that they are attracted by fast cash-in-hand, low capital requirements and the lack of alternative local employment opportunities. Both men and women participate, yet transport methods are gendered. Men, who typically transport charcoal on a bicycle, earn three times as much per week as those who carry charcoal on their heads, the main method used by women. However, bicycle users incur higher financial risk due to costs associated with confiscations and damage to bicycles. Unlike in larger cities, an urban elite does not dominate the supply chain in Zomba. We argue that punitive targeting of small-scale charcoal transporters serves only to push them deeper into poverty and does nothing to contribute to sustainable resource management.
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More information
Published date: 17 August 2015
Keywords:
forestry, forest management, livelihoods, governance, income generation, supply chain, charcoal, NTFP (Non Timber Forest Product), energy, informal markets
Organisations:
Civil Maritime & Env. Eng & Sci Unit, Centre for Biological Sciences
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 382291
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/382291
ISSN: 1472-8028
PURE UUID: fba10b5a-ec5d-4e62-90d4-a0326a52e55e
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Date deposited: 01 Oct 2015 14:04
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:36
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Contributors
Author:
Harriet Elizabeth Smith
Author:
Dalitso Kafumbata
Author:
Kate Schreckenberg
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