Utilisation du charbon de bois comme principale source d'énergie de la population urbaine : un sérieux problème pour la conservation du couvert forestier au Burundi

Abstract

The issue of domestic energy remains a major concern worldwide and particularly in developing countries, where the majority of the population still uses firewood, charcoal and agricultural residues as fuel for cooking. In Burundi, where wood is the main source of domestic energy and accounts for 96.6% of total energy use, 77% of all charcoal supplies are used by city dwellers. The results of a survey conducted along major roads show that the urban populations of Bujumbura and Gitega consume a total of 70,100 tonnes of charcoal (56,548 and 13,552 tonnes respectively). Annual charcoal consumption by the country's entire urban population was estimated in our study at 104 718 tonnes. Charcoal consumption in Gitega and Bujumbura alone destroys 3,505-4,673 ha of forest cover per year, with the figure for Burundi's total urban population reaching 5,236 to 6,980 ha. At this rate, Burundi's entire forest cover, currently estimated at 171,625 ha, will disappear in about 25 to 33 years. For the system to be sustainable, new techniques and practices must be adopted, such as planting trees along roads, assisted natural regeneration, research on the most suitable and productive species or varieties, increased use of renewable energy, waste-to-energy techniques and energy efficiency improvements (e.g. improved stoves).