SEW Project Participates in National Tree Day Events in Conjunction with the UN’s International Year of Forests, 2011 The Sustainable Energy Production through Woodlots and Agroforestry in the Albertine Rift (SEW) project focuses on improving the availability of and access to sustainable energy in the Albertine Rift (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC] and Rwanda). The SEW project, funded by the Netherlands’ Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), is improving agricultural intensification through improved soil fertility, product marketing and a decrease in competition between food and energy production.
techniques that increase the amount and quality of charcoal while using less wood and causing less environmental damage. Tree growers understand the need to integrate the value chain and link it to charcoal markets in order to have competitive prices for both trees and charcoal.
National Tree Day events were held in October in the DRC’s North and South Kivu provinces in support of the United Nations’ International Year of Forests, 2011. Tree seedlings were distributed to the many participants. North Kivu’s Minister of the Environment, Chantal Rugenera Kambimbi, participated in the event and praised reforestation efforts. Reforestation activities are vital to the livelihoods of many in the Albertine Rift region.
In Burundi and DRC, SEW is introducing more energy-efficient brick kilns because traditional kilns consume large quantities of wood and produce more environmental damage. The new kilns use less wood during the brick-making process.
National Tree Day events were also held in Rwanda in November and in Burundi in December. SEW is currently contributing to reforestation in the three project countries by promoting productive planting on private farm plots. To guarantee increased productivity, high-quality seedlings are necessary. The seedlings are dependent on: 1) access to quality seed for planting in a nursery; 2) good nursery management practices to ensure sturdy seedling development; and 3) proper transplanting of a seedling to the farmer’s plot followed by good management practices by the farmer (e.g., weeding) to promote survival of the seedling. In order to increase tree growth, farmers should also use fertilizers; and SEW demonstration plots are used to educate growers about fertilizer. In 2010, 30 metric tons (mt) of phosphate rock fertilizer were imported from Tanzania and used on SEW demonstration plots. The effort will continue through 2012, with fertilizer being applied two weeks before planting.
SEW also is promoting cooking stoves that use less charcoal in cities and less wood in rural areas. This effort will reduce overall wood consumption and also lessen pollution.
In the long-term, SEW will help improve the biomass energy balance in the Albertine Rift by encouraging people to plant trees and by reducing wood consumption through the introduction of a variety of energy-saving technologies.
DRC
A student in the DRC’s North Kivu province was proud to participate in the tree planting event in October.
SEW staff members pay close attention to key technical aspects so that seedlings are healthy and tree plantings are conducted under optimum conditions. In order to achieve this, an unusual approach was implemented in the area – labor-intensive work (HIMO) on private land. This contributed to an increased quality of planting and helped reduce poverty by providing short-term job opportunities. HIMO is recognized by both Burundi and Rwanda as a poverty reduction mechanism. SEW has also sponsored workshops to raise awareness about the importance of reforestation. Charcoal is a primary cooking fuel in Burundi, the DRC and Rwanda. Traditional methods of charcoal production are energy-inefficient, resulting in higher rates of tree loss and environmental damage from charcoal production. SEW has introduced improved kilns and production
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