Content uploaded by Erick Otieno Wanjira
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Erick Otieno Wanjira on Jan 19, 2022
Content may be subject to copyright.
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
Koech G, Sola P, Wanjira EO, Kirimi M,
Rotich H, Njenga M.
Charcoal production from
invasive
Prosopis juliora
in
Baringo County, Kenya
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
Koech G, Sola P, Wanjira EO, Kirimi M,
Rotich H, Njenga M.
Charcoal production from
invasive
Prosopis juliora
in
Baringo County, Kenya
This publication is part of a series of briefs describing ndings from the
EU-funded Governing Multifunctional Landscapes Sustainable Woodfuel
project, which aims to contribute to knowledge, options and engagement
for more sustainable woodfuel value chains across Sub-Saharan Africa.
cifor.org/gml/sustainable-woodfuel
3
Key lessons Introduction
The invasive
Prosopis juliflora
shrub and
its potential for charcoal production
Prosopis juliora (hereafter Prosopis), also known as mesquite
or ‘mathenge’ in Kenya, is among the world’s 100 worst invasive
species (Lowe et al. 2000). In Kenya, it was planted between the mid-
1970s and the 1980s in dryland areas to halt desertication, control
deforestation and alleviate fuelwood shortages (Pasiecznik et al.
2006). The introduction of Prosopis, which has biochemical properties
that negatively affect neighbouring plants, has resulted into the loss of
biodiversity both above and below ground (Maundu et al. 2009; Kaur et
al. 2012; Vilà and Hulme 2017). It also affects other ecosystem services,
such as water cycles (Gallaher and Merlin 2010, Dzikiti et al. 2013), and
has cut off livelihood opportunities through its displacement of native
plants (Maundu et al. 2009; Al-Humaid and Warrag 1998). The shrubs
provide breeding habitats for mosquitoes, their thorns cause injuries
to humans and livestock, and their sugary pods can harm livestock’s
teeth when consumed in large quantities (Njenga 2019). With its dense,
impenetrable thickets that protect it from animals, Prosopis has
survived where other tree species have failed. It has also become highly
invasive, branching very close to the ground, inhibiting the seedling
establishment of other tree species and grasses (Pasiecznik et al. 2001;
Singh 2008; Eckert et al. 2020).
In Baringo county, Prosopis was rst introduced in Ng’ambo and Loboi
locations. Initially, 20 sites of approximately 250 ha were planted with
Prosopis (Anderson, 2005). The plant has since spread to other areas
including, Salabani, Ilng’arua, Ilchamus, Kiserian, Rugus, Kapkuikui,
Loboi and Sandai locations, and Endao, Perkerra and Yatoi sub-
locations (Little 2019). Scaling the planting of Prosopis was stopped in
early 1990s once its invasive characteristics were discovered (Choge
et al. 2002). Unfortunately, the community lost 18,792 ha of cropland,
grassland, and woodland to Prosopis between 1986 and 2016 (Mbaabu
et al. 2019).
• • Originally introduced to dryland areas in Kenya as a solution to
deforestation and fuelwood shortages, the shrub Prosopis juliora
has become highly invasive, displacing native plants, and negatively
impacting both biodiversity and livelihoods.
• Efforts to control Prosopis include, among others, using it to produce
sustainable charcoal, which can both ll a major bioenergy gap and
clear land for agriculture.
• However, limited knowledge and a lack of proper equipment for
pruning have prevented communities from realizing the full economic
potential of Prosopis.
• In Baringo County, CIFOR-ICRAF and partners took an integrated
approach to sustainable charcoal production using Prosopis, through
participatory mapping and ‘training of trainers’ on sustainable
harvesting and the use of improved kilns.
• Results show that using Prosopis for charcoal production is
sustainable in three ways: it is abundant, it can be regenerated
through selective pruning, and it produces high-quality charcoal
more efciently than other woody species.
• This brief describes these results and offers recommendations for the
use of invasive species for charcoal production.
5
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
4
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
Without intentional management practises such as biological control,
chemical treatment, uprooting and clearcutting, and use of Prosopis,
the shrubs will continue to colonize new areas and become the dominant
vegetation. To stop this trend, the invasive species can be turned into a
resource. For example, the species is being used for sustainable charcoal,
fodder, poles, honey, and fuelwood initiatives supported by the Kenya
Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and other stakeholders in Kenya
(Tuwei et al. 2019). The potential for charcoal production is huge, as
there are an estimated 40 million tonnes of utilizable Prosopis biomass
across Baringo, Turkana, Samburu, Tana River, Garissa, Kajiado and
Taita Taveta counties – this could ll the country’s 55% charcoal decit
(MENR 2013). Further management and use of Prosopis could open
land for agriculture, allow the recovery of indigenous plant species, and
reduce human and animal injuries (Mwangi and Swallow 2008). When
well controlled, the species can provide timber and non-timber products
such as rewood, charcoal, pods, fodder, and ecosystem services such
as soil erosion control and improvement of soil fertility (Pasiecznik et al.
2001; Wise et al. 2012).
Mapping of
Prosopis
spread and envisioning a
future landscape
Despite several attempts to control the spread and further invasion
of Prosopis in Baringo County, success has been elusive due to a lack
of proper tools and equipment for pruning, low community-level
commitment, and limited knowledge on how to tap into the economic
potential of Prosopis and create incentives to manage it (Koech et al.
2020). Integrated approaches are needed to maximize the benets
and minimize the costs associated with Prosopis (Samuel et al. 2012).
Multistakeholder engagement and bottom-up approaches are critical to
ensuring that community visions are considered, as well as to mobilize
the diverse skills and resources needed to overcome this challenge.
This brief describes activities undertaken by the Governing Multifunctional
Landscapes Sustainable Woodfuel project, specically an intervention
prioritized during community action planning in Baringo. It documents
community perceptions of the benets and challenges of Prosopis
invasion arising from community mapping of its spread, as well as
a vision for an improved landscape through specic interventions.
Also described are outcomes from a ‘training of trainers’ session on
sustainable woodfuel, held in October 2019, during which charcoal
producers and a primary school teacher learned sustainable harvesting
techniques and were supported with a drum kiln, as well as equipment
to improve wood-to-charcoal production in the traditional earth mound
kiln.
The work was carried out in Baringo South sub-county (known as Marigat
sub-county by the national government administration) by the Center for
International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF),
KEFRI, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Kenya Forestry
Service (KFS), the County Government of Baringo, local authorities, and
several charcoal producer associations.
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
76
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
Prosopis
managed farm in Ngambo,
Baringo County - Kenya.
(Axel Fassio/CIFOR-ICRAF)
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
98
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
Potential benets from
Prosopis
The assessment of the spread and use of Prosopis was done during
the above-mentioned ‘training of trainers’ course (Njenga et al. 2019).
Participants included 11 women and 21 men comprising charcoal
producers, a primary school teacher, ve young male metal artisans
and two ofcers from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock of
the county government. Together, they identied and ranked 14 different
benets of Prosopis in Baringo (See table and et al. 2019). Supply of
charcoal, rewood and fencing materials were the top three benets
according to women, while men prioritized charcoal, fencing and poles.
Charcoal was at the top for both men and women, while women also found
supply of rewood to be a priority, as it is their responsibility to source it.
While charcoal was mainly produced for commercial purposes and sold
within and beyond the county, fencing and poles were mostly for local
consumption.
Prosopis products harvested by communities in Marigat subcounty
Benets Nature of
function Women (N=7) Men (N=10)
ScoreaRank Score Rank
Charcoal Woodfuel 14 118 1
Firewood Woodfuel 15 247 4
Fencing Timber 16 318 1
Shade Timber 29 473 6
Poles Timber 40 539 3
Roong Timber 56 689 8
Control of soil
erosion
Ecosystem
service 58 770 5
Furniture making Timber 63 893 10
Improvement
of soil fertility
Ecosystem
service 70 991 9
Medicine (roots,
leaves, bark) Medicinal value 71 10 112 13
Animal feed Food and feed 73 11 98 11
Windbreak Ecosystem
service 76 12 77 7
Poultice for
wounds Medicinal value 78 13 115 14
Food Food and feed 81 14 110 12
aScore: 14–81 points; ranking from 1 to 14, where ‘1’ is the most important.
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
1110
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
Participatory mapping of the landscape
Outcomes from the participatory mapping of the landscape in
Marigat sub-county – which has the highest density of Prosopis
cover in Baringo county – showed that in the 1980s the area had
only a few scattered Acacia trees along the rivers (First map).
Community members said that the mapped area was mostly used for
grazing by pastoralists and some farming along rivers, but that there
was no charcoal production. Prosopis was introduced in the area around
1983, with demonstration plots established in 1984. By 2018 Prosopis had
colonized vast tracks of land in Marigat sub-county such as Ng’ambo, Loboi
and Ilchamus, among others, and had displaced grasslands and croplands
(Second map).
Rivers
Manyatta*
Semi-permanent houses
Town centers
Livestock shed
Resource maps showing (First map) Baringo County before
Prosopis
invasion, and (Second map) the
situation in 2018*cultural homesteads surrounding a livestock shed used mainly by pastoral communities
Acacia and other trees
Acacia and other trees
Houses
Rivers
Charcoal production points
Prosopis juliora
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
1312
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
The vision of the community is to
manage Prosopis by harvesting
mature stems for charcoal and other
products such as poles, leaving other
shrubs to grow. Another suggested
intervention is the complete removal
of some Prosopis plants to reduce
the overall density and to create
space for multi-purpose trees (e.g.,
fruit trees) and crops (Third map).
Resource map showing a future vision of Baringo South subcounty aer the implementation of
interventions to manage
Prosopis
Acacia and other trees
Swamp/lake
Conservancy
Settlement
Forest land with indigenous species
Grassland/grazing eld
Prosopis juliora
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
1514
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
This shrub has affected livelihoods for farmers and pastoralists who need
to nd the money and resources to physically remove the shrubs. And it
causes ecosystem management issues in areas where it grows very thick,
preventing the free movement of livestock and wildlife.
Finding ways to control and manage this invasive species is a top priority for
the county, but one that faces many challenges, as Ms. Kipkazi explains.
“There is a lack of resources to support Prosopis management activities,
as well as a lack of awareness among communities about the importance
of controlling Prosopis before it spreads and becomes too established,” she
said. “There are also not enough staff who can offer extension services and
training to community members.”
Stakeholder story
A roadmap to the management of
Prosopis
in Baringo County
Jennifer Kipkazi is the Director of
Environment for Baringo County,
where the invasive Prosopis
juliora shrub has wreaked
havoc on grasslands, farmlands
and even waterways. For the
past few decades, the plant has
been colonizing farms, taking
over waterways and occasionally
causing ooding. Where it has
crowded out grasses and other
fodder, animals will eat its sugary
pods – which can cause dental
problems.
She also highlighted land tenure issues. As communally owned lands tend
to have more Prosopis, it is a challenge to develop collective management
plans to invest in controlling the plant, and to implement them across each
community.
“At the county level, our main focus is to raise awareness among community
members about the benets of Prosopis management, and to show how
they can transform their land through demonstration plots, where grass
has returned to cleared areas,” said Ms. Kipkazi.
They also encourage sustainable
charcoal production using
Prosopis. “Continuous use of
the plant through charcoal
production can greatly reduce its
spread,” she said. “Pruning the
Prosopis shrub prevents them
from taking over and limits seed
production.”
“There has been good uptake of
Prosopis as a source of charcoal,
with producers using it even
before the moratorium,” she
added.
Continuous
use of the plant
through charcoal
production can
greatly reduce its
spread
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
1716
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
Tree pruning in a farm near Endui, Kitui County, Kenya.
(Axel Fassio/CIFOR-ICRAF)
Overview of charcoal production using
Prosopis
In 2018, the Government of Kenya imposed a moratorium on timber
harvesting in all public and community forests to alleviate widespread
drought. However, to control the spread of Prosopis, this invasive species
was excluded from the ban on 20 December 2018. Prior to the ban, local
communities in Baringo produced charcoal from indigenous species,
mainly Acacia lahi, as it was thought to produce high-quality charcoal
(Ndegwa et al. 2021).
Charcoal production using Prosopis is undertaken throughout the
year. Activity peaks during the school holiday months of April, August
and December, when students are available to contribute to the labour
and parents need to raise school fees for the following term (Koech
et al. 2020). All members of the household are involved in charcoal
production, although roles are notably gendered. The main roles for
men include felling trees, identifying suitable sites, setting up the kiln,
stacking wood, managing the kiln, loading and unloading charcoal,
marketing, and managing the income from charcoal sales. ‘Lighter’
activities such as pruning fallen trees, lighting and covering the kiln,
harvesting, and sorting and packaging the charcoal are mainly carried
out by women. Youth support their parents during school holidays until
they are old enough to carry out production on their own.
Studies such as Singh (2008), recommend the use of Prosopis in short
rotation energy programmes due to its fast growth, ability to grow new
shoots after pruning, and ability to quickly regenerate biomass. Tewari
et al. (2000) in India and Mehari (2015) in Ethiopia, established that
Prosopis produces high-quality charcoal, and its wood does not spit,
spark or emit much smoke. Studies indicate that in Kenya, Prosopis
produces quality charcoal with a caloric value of 33 MJ/kg (Oduor and
Githiomi 2013).
19
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
18
Training of trainers in Baringo
Before the training, stems were harvested from Prosopis trees and dried
in the open air to reduce the moisture content to 20%. The training was
then conducted in October 2019 through both classroom and community-
level demonstrations to minimize transport and accommodation
costs and to allow participants to continue attending to their livelihood
activities. The total cost for the conference package was about USD 20
per participant per day for ve days. In the classroom, trainees gained
knowledge on sustainable woodfuel production technologies, which
were later demonstrated in the eld.
At the demonstration site, the wood was stacked tightly and carbonized
using both the traditional earth mound kiln and improved earth
mound kiln. Comparing the yields from the two kilns, the improved kiln
produced as much as 50% more charcoal compared to the traditional
kiln, with charcoal recovery rates of 22% and 15%, respectively (Njenga
et al. forthcoming). Further, wood residues below 5 cm were cut to about
80 cm and carbonized using the drum kiln, with a recovery rate of 21%.
Charcoal from Prosopis is targeted for both home use (10%) and for
sale (90%). It is used in the home mainly during the rainy season for
heating. Locally, small-scale food vendors and restaurants consume the
bulk of the charcoal. The charcoal that is not consumed locally is sold
to brokers, who aggregate it and sell to transporters for sale in towns
such as Marigat, Kabarnet and Nakuru, as well as at external markets in
Nairobi and Mombasa. The average price per bag ranges from between
KES 400–450 (USD 3.60–4.50) at the producer level, and a kiln can
produce 1–15 bags of charcoal, depending on the size of the kiln.
Income obtained from charcoal production is mainly used to buy inputs
for crop and livestock production, as well as for school fees, buying
goats, and as savings in village loan platforms. Although women in male-
headed households have the economic capacity to buy goats from income
obtained through the sale of charcoal, they do not have outright authority
to sell the goats without seeking permission from their husbands.
CPA meeting in a farm near Endui, Kitui County, Kenya.
(Axel Fassio/CIFOR-ICRAF)
21
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
20
The improved earth mound kiln was preferred by charcoal producers,
being selected by 17 of the 24 beneciaries. Only ve producers opted
for the drum kiln, mostly women and youth who found it to be more
convenient and efcient, requiring less labour and set-up time, less wood
per batch, and yielding charcoal within 6–12 hours compared to up to
96 hours for earth mound kilns. The interviewed trainers reported to
have reached a total of 359 charcoal producers between October 2019
and August 2020. However, these community learning activities were
slowed when Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria overowed in 2020 causing
ooding and displacement of target beneciaries in Ng’ambo and Loboi,
as well as from delays related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Community-based outreach and scaling
of
Prosopis
management and use for
charcoal production
Follow up sessions to determine the impact of the training workshop
were conducted on 31 July and 3 August 2020. Seventeen of the 24
trained charcoal producers were interviewed. Six of the graduates of the
workshop in Ng’ambo, referred to as ‘community trainers’, had reached
other charcoal producers with the support of the area chief. One of the
community trainers is a teacher at Sintan Primary school who trained
primary school pupils in classes 6, 7 and 8 on Prosopis management and
charcoal production using the improved kilns. The community trainers
also established a demonstration plot on an area heavily invested by
Prosopis at the Chief’s camp, where they provided hands-on training
on Prosopis management and charcoal production using an improved
earth mound kiln and a drum kiln. Details of these improved charcoal
production technologies and related charcoal yields and emissions are
discussed in the rst brief in this series titled ‘Carbonization 2.0: How to
produce more charcoal with less wood and emissions’ and in Njenga et
al. (forthcoming).
Another ve community trainers based in Ilchamus and six in Loboi
went on to train other charcoal producers on the improved technologies
through on-site charcoal production. They took advantage of visits
by community members to their charcoal production site and farms
to sensitize them on the importance of using efcient and improved
charcoal production technologies, as well as on sound Prosopis
management practices. The community trainers also reached out to
community members in Loboi and Ilchamus through public meetings
held by the area chief and at ‘cattle dips’ (i.e. to control parasites in
livestock).
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
2322
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
Recommendations for scaling up
Harvesting wood from Prosopis for charcoal production is sustainable
in three ways: rst, the shrub is abundantly available as it has already
invaded extensive areas of land in Baringo; second, Prosopis can
regenerate its branches through selective pruning, resulting in a
sustainable supply of woodfuel; and third, efcient preparation of
the branches by reducing moisture up to 20% can increase the wood
conversion rate, reducing wastage and boosting charcoal production.
Combining proper wood production, harvesting, drying and stacking
with the use of efcient carbonization technology such as improved
earth mound kilns or drum kilns demonstrates a high potential for a
sustainable charcoal production system. Prosopis produces high-quality
charcoal with a caloric value of 33 MJ/kg (Oduor and Githiomi, 2013), and
there are established markets for charcoal locally, in both neighbouring
towns and in external markets such Nairobi. Therefore, encouraging
farmers to invest income from the sale of charcoal in community lending
and loaning associations is likely to increase their returns, as they could
then access loans to improve traditional earth mound kilns and acquire
better equipment for wood harvesting. This would save labour and time
that could be diverted to other livelihood activities such as beekeeping,
crop cultivation and livestock keeping.
To help communities tap the huge potential of using invasive species for
charcoal production, we offer the following recommendations:
1 Train charcoal producers on cost-effective innovations such as selective
harvesting of branches, proper drying of wood, tight stacking of wood in
the kiln to allow better air ow, and improved earth mound kilns with
chimneys and breathers to increase the wood-to-charcoal conversion
rate.
2 Mobilize charcoal producers to generate accessible nancing options
through the formation of village loan and savings groups, so that they
have greater access to nancing for the purchase of better harvesting
and processing equipment, thereby leading to more efcient
production, higher charcoal yields and more income to support other
livelihoods and improve their lives.
3 Involve communities in context analysis and exercises to envision
how their landscape could look, to foster joint responsibility towards a
common goal and efforts to achieve that vision.
4 Build capacity among community champions on sustainable charcoal
production using Prosopis through the training of trainers approach,
to increase skills within the community, promote peer learning, and
provide locally accessible extension services.
5 Integrate ‘management by use’ with other measures to reduce invasion
by Prosopis, as recommended in the Kenya Bioenergy Strategy
2020–2027 (MoE 2020).
24
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
25
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
References
Al-Humaid AI, Warrag MOA. 1998. Allelopathic effects of mesquite
(Prosopis juliora) foliage on seed germination and seedling growth of
bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon). J. Arid Environ. 38, 237–243.
Anderson S. 2005. Spread of the Introduced Tree Species Prosopis
juliora (Sw.) DC in the Lake Baringo Area, Kenya. Institutionen for
Skoglif Vegetationsekologi, SLU (Swedish Agricultural University), UMEA,
Sweden.
Choge SK, Ngunjiri FD, Kuria MW, Basaka EA, Muthondeki JK. 2002. Status
and impact of Prosopis in Kenya. Unpublished Technical Report. Nairobi:
KEFRI.
Dzikiti S, SchachtschneiderK, Naiken V, Gush M, Moses G, Le Maitre DC.
2013. Water relations and the effects of clearing invasive Prosopis trees on
groundwater in an arid environment in the Northern Cape, South Africa. J.
Arid Environ. 90, 103–113.
Eckert S, Hamad A, Kilawe CJ, Linders TEW, Ng W-T Mbaabu PR, Shiferaw
H, Witt A and Schaffner U. 2020. Niche change analysis as a tool to inform
management of two invasive species in Eastern Africa. Ecosphere 11(2)
Gallaher T and Merlin M. 2010. Biology and impacts of Pacic Island
invasive species Prosopis pallida and Prosopis juliora (Algar roba,
Mesquite, Kiawe) (Fabaceae). Pac. Sci. 64, 489–526.
Kaur R, Gonzales WL, Llambi LD, Soriano PJ, Callaway RM, Rout ME,
Gallaher TJ. 2012. Community Impacts of Prosopis juliora Invasion:
Biogeographic and Congeneric Comparisons. PLoS ONE 7.
Koech G, Wanjira EO, Kirimi M, Siko I, Sola P, Bourne M, Muriuki J, Njenga
M. 2020. Utilizing Mathenge (Prosopis Juliora) for charcoal. The other
side of an invasive species. Miti Magazine (47), July-September 2020.
Better Globe Forestry.
Little PD. 2019. When “Green” equals thorny and mean: the politics and
costs of an environmental experiment in East Africa. African Studies
Review 62:132–163.
Lowe S, Browne M, Boudjelas S, De Poorter M. 2000. 100 of the world’s
worst invasive alien species: a selection from the global invasive species
database. (Vol. 12). Auckland: Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Maundu P, Kibet S, Morimoto Y, Imbumi M, Adeka R. 2009. Impact of
Prosopis juliora on Kenya’s semi-arid and arid ecosystems and local
livelihoods. Biodivers 10: 33–50.
Mbaabu PR, Ng WT, Schaffner U, Gichaba M, Olago D, Choge S, Oriaso S,
Eckert S. 2019. Spatial evolution of Prosopis invasion and its effects on
LULC and livelihoods in Baringo, Kenya. Remote Sensing 11(10): 1–24.
Mehari, ZH. 2015. The invasion of Prosopis juliora and Afar pastoral
livelihoods in the Middle Awash area of Ethiopia. Ecological Processes 4.
Ecological Processes 1–13.
MoE (Ministry of Energy, Republic of Kenya). 2020. Bioenergy Strategy
2020-2027. Nairobi: MoE.
MENR (Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kenya). 2013.
Analysis of the Charcoal Value Chain in Kenya. Final Report. 98 pp. Nairobi:
Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
Mwangi E, Swallow B. 2008. Prosopis juliora invasion and rural
livelihoods in the Lake Baringo area of Kenya. Conservation and Society
6(2): 130–140.
Ndegwa G, Sola P, Siko I, Kirimi M, Wanjira EO, Koech G, Iiyama M, Ihalainen
M, Njenga M. 2021. The charcoal value chain in Kenya, Actors, practices,
and trade ows in selected sites. Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre.
Njenga M, Kirimi M, Koech G, Otieno E, Sola P. 2019. Training of Trainers
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
2726
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
(ToT) on Sustainable Prosopis Juliora Woodfuel Production and
Utilization in Baringo County, Kenya. Nairobi: World Agroforestry.
Njenga M. 2019. Transforming Kenya’s invasive ‘mathenge’ bushes
into charcoal farms. Forest News. https://forestsnews.cifor.org/65644/
transforming-kenyas-invasive-mathenge-bushes-into-charcoal-
farms?fnl=
Oduor N and Githiomi JK. 2013. Fuel-wood energy properties of Prosopis
juliora and Prosopis pallida grown in Baringo District, Kenya. Afr. J.
Agric. Res. 8 (21): 2476–2481.
Pasiecznik NM, Choge SK, Muthike GM, Chesang S, Fehr C, Bakewell-Stone
P, Wright J, Harris PJC. 2006. Putting Knowledge on Prosopis into Use in
Kenya. Pioneering Advances. Nairobi: KEFRI and Coventry, UK: HDRA. 13
pp.
Pasiecznik NM, Felker P, Harris PJ, Harsh L, Cruz G, Tewari JC, Maldonado
LJ. 2001. The Prosopis juliora-Prosopis pallida complex: a monograph
(Vol. 172). Coventry, UK: HDRA.
Samuel G, Sebsebe D, Tadesse W. 2012. Allelopathic effects of the invasive
Prosopis juliora (Sw.) DC. on selected native plant species in Middle
Awash, Southern Afar Rift of Ethiopia. Management of Biological Invasions
3(2): 105–114.
Singh G. 2008. Managing Prosopis for livelihood security in salt affected
and dry areas. Technical bulletin No. 10. Karnal, India: Central Soil Salinity
Research Institute.
Tewari JC, Harris PJC, Harsh LN, Cadoret K, Pasiecznik NM. 2000.
Managing Prosopis juliora (vilayati Babool) – A Technical manual.
Jodhpur, India: CAZRI and Coventry, UK: HDRA. 96 p.
Tuwei P, Odera EC, Kiprop J, Wanjiku J. 2019. Management of Prosopis
Juliora Invasion in Baringo County, Kenya through Utilization. Journal of
Economics and Sustainable Development 10 (10).
Vilà M, Hulme PE. (eds). 2017. Impact of biological invasions on ecosystem
services. (Vol. 12). Cham: Springer.
Wise RM, van Wilgen BW, Le Maitre DC. 2012. Costs, benets, and
management options for an invasive alien tree species: the case of
mesquite in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Journal of Arid Environments
84:80–90.
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
2928
Charcoal production from invasive
Prosopis juliflora
in Baringo County, Kenya
Photo credits
Cover: Charcoal and Prosopis plant at a collection point in Ngambo,
Baringo County - Kenya.
Photo: Axel Fassio / CIFOR-ICRAF
Acknowledged contributors
Reviewers: Abdon Awono, Jhony Zapata
Project coordination: Jolien Schure
Editing: Erin O’Connell
Graphic design: Laurent Nyssen
Suggested citation
Koech G, Sola P, Wanjira EO, Kirimi M, Rotich H, Njenga M. 2021.
Charcoal production from invasive Prosopis juliflora in Baringo
County, Kenya. Brief #4. Sustainable Woodfuel Brief Series.
Governing Multifunctional Landscapes Project. Bogor, Indonesia
and Nairobi, Kenya: CIFOR-ICRAF.
SUSTAINABLE WOODFUEL BRIEF #04
30
cifor.org/gml
This initiative is part of the project Governing multifunctional
landscapes in Sub-Saharan Africa: Managing trade-offs between
social and ecological impacts (GML), which is nanced by the
European Union.
This research was carried out by CIFOR-ICRAF as part of the CGIAR
Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA).
FTA is the world’s largest research for development program to
enhance the role of forests, trees and agroforestry in sustainable
development and food security and to address climate change.
CIFOR leads FTA in partnership with Bioversity International,
CATIE, CIRAD, INBAR, ICRAF and TBI. FTA’s work is supported by
the CGIAR Trust Fund: cgiar.org/funders/