Workers in Chad make special charcoal from farm waste to help save the country's disappearing forests. The African nation has lost over 90 percent of its trees since the 1970s because of climate change and people cutting wood for cooking. This green charcoal comes from leftover plant materials like millet stalks and palm leaves instead of chopped trees.
The new fuel burns cleaner than regular charcoal and lasts three times longer. One kilogram of green charcoal saves six kilograms of wood from being cut down. Workers mix burned plant waste with gum and clay to make black chunks that look like normal charcoal.
Chad faces extra pressure from 800,000 refugees who fled violence in Sudan since 2023. These newcomers need fuel for cooking and have made deforestation worse in eastern regions. The World Bank buys the green charcoal and refugee camps receive it for free.
The factory near the capital makes seven to nine tons each day. Owners want to expand production and cut prices to make green charcoal affordable across the country. The government plans to support more projects like this one to protect Chad's remaining forests.
The new fuel burns cleaner than regular charcoal and lasts three times longer. One kilogram of green charcoal saves six kilograms of wood from being cut down. Workers mix burned plant waste with gum and clay to make black chunks that look like normal charcoal.
Chad faces extra pressure from 800,000 refugees who fled violence in Sudan since 2023. These newcomers need fuel for cooking and have made deforestation worse in eastern regions. The World Bank buys the green charcoal and refugee camps receive it for free.
The factory near the capital makes seven to nine tons each day. Owners want to expand production and cut prices to make green charcoal affordable across the country. The government plans to support more projects like this one to protect Chad's remaining forests.
