Cameroon turns waste into eco-charcoal to save treesCEFR B2
31 Dec 2025
Adapted from Sandra Tuombouh, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Edouard TAMBA, Unsplash
Clean cooking access remains low across much of Sub-Saharan Africa, according to recent reporting. A 2025 study by The Earth & I identified only two countries in the region with high access: South Africa and Gabon. Global figures cited by the World Health Organization in January 2022 estimate about 2.1 billion people lack clean cooking, and July 2025 statistics link wood burning for charcoal to about 815,000 premature deaths each year.
In Cameroon more than two million hectares of tree cover were lost between 2001 and 2025, much of it used for household and business cooking. In Yaounde some producers now make eco-charcoal, or briquettes, from sustainable, renewable or recycled organic waste. Manufacturers and users say the fuel burns cleaner, lasts longer and reduces pressure on trees.
Common raw materials include:
- plantain, cassava and potato skins
- coconut shells and corn stalks
- bamboo, sawdust and recycled wood
Producers admit the process involves burning and emits carbon dioxide, but they point out that many inputs come from biodegradable household or market waste and may be sourced where trees can reabsorb some emissions. National measures include a 2024 Forestry Law to tighten logging controls, participation in REDD+ and FLEGT, and existing domestic rules such as the Code of Hygiene and Sanitation (Law No. 92/020 of 1992). The government has supported projects through the National Prototype Support Fund since 2021 and, under the National Energy Compact, aims to raise clean cooking access from 23.4 percent to 40 percent by 2030.
Difficult words
- access — ability to use or reach a service
- premature — happening earlier than expected or normal
- eco-charcoal — fuel made from recycled organic materials
- briquette — small compressed block of fuel materialbriquettes
- sustainable — able to continue without harming resources
- biodegradable — able to break down naturally by organisms
- emit — to send out gas, heat, or lightemits
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What are the main benefits and remaining environmental concerns of using eco-charcoal instead of traditional wood charcoal in Cameroon?
- How realistic is the government goal to raise clean cooking access from 23.4 percent to 40 percent by 2030? What challenges could slow progress?
- What practical steps could help eco-charcoal producers scale up production while ensuring materials remain sustainable and locally available?
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