SOURCE OF CHARCOAL

No…..I am not talking about what trees make the best charcoal to cook nshima on. I am talking about where the tree was growing that was cut down to make the charcoal?  Was it located on: Traditional land? Government land? Community forest? Private land or land being cleared for agriculture? Or no man’s land? The time has come in Zambia to define land boundaries and record ownership. This will become important information as time goes on and the value of land is recognized in Zambia. And we cannot declare the charcoal industry sustainable until we establish ownership of the tree that produced the charcoal! Remember……the old lady living in the village with poor eyesight and weak legs owns that tree along with the unborn baby not just the person with the sharpest axe. The new look to the charcoal industry is on its way!