Sacrificing the savannah woodlands for energy and livelihoods? Charcoal production in Ghana

The energy transition in many African countries involves the shift from firewood to charcoal and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as the primary domestic energy source. In Ghana, the demand for charcoal is on the rise, leading to diverse socio-economic and ecological outcomes in the Savannah woodland. Based on data produced through interviews, focus group discussions, observation, and a survey with 200 questionnaires administered, the paper examines the dynamics of charcoal livelihoods for energy and the ecological effects in the Savana woodland of Ghana. The article shows that charcoal production is critical to meeting household energy needs, supports the livelihood of different categories of people along the value chain and transforms local economies with unequal benefit streams to different actors. However, charcoal production results in loss of vegetation and ecological resilience with different levels of culpability on large migrant producers and small survivalist indigene producers. The paper shows that vegetation loss is highest in areas where indigenous charcoal producers continue to produce after the large-scale producers migrate when they exhaust matured trees. We recommend that stakeholders rethink governance strategies toward regulating the charcoal sector, considering its critical role in meeting domestic energy needs and supporting the livelihoods of many people.