Cameroon turns waste into eco-charcoal to save treesCEFR B1
31 Dec 2025
Adapted from Sandra Tuombouh, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Edouard TAMBA, Unsplash
Access to clean cooking is limited in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, and traditional wood and charcoal remain common. In Cameroon more than two million hectares of tree cover were lost between 2001 and 2025, and some households in Yaounde are shifting to eco-charcoal (briquettes) made from renewable or recycled organic waste.
Producers list common raw materials such as plantain and cassava skins, coconut shells, corn stalks, bamboo, sawdust and recycled wood. Manufacturers acknowledge the process releases carbon dioxide, but they say many materials come from waste streams and are widely available.
Users report practical benefits: less black smoke, lower respiratory risk and less cleaning of pots. The government has backed projects through a national support fund since 2021 and aims to raise clean cooking access by 2030 under the National Energy Compact.
Difficult words
- renewable — Made from sources that can grow again
- recycled — Used material prepared to be used again
- briquette — A small compact block of fuelbriquettes
- eco-charcoal — Charcoal made from waste or renewable materials
- waste stream — Flow of waste materials from use or productionwaste streams
- carbon dioxide — A gas released when materials burn
- respiratory — Connected with breathing and the lungs
- hectare — A large unit for measuring land areahectares
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think eco-charcoal could help reduce tree loss in your country? Why or why not?
- Which practical benefit of cleaner cooking would matter most to your family and why?
- What actions could government take to help more households switch to clean cooking?
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