The effect of charcoal production In Middle Shabelle Region.

ABSTRACT The main focus of this study was to investigate the effect of charcoal trade on Somali environment case study in Middle Shebelle Jowhar district. Background of the study, since the 1970s, charcoal was one of Somalia’s principal exports, along with livestock, hides and bananas. Charcoal and firewood are the primary sources of energy for the majority of households in Somalia and charcoal production provides a considerable amount of employment in rural areas. Whereas forests represented about 13 percent of Somalia’s land area in 1990, they only covered about 10.7 percent in 2010, with signs for accelerating deforestation rates in recent years. Special objectives of this study were firstly to investigate the effect of charcoal trade on Somali environment, secondly to determine the level of charcoal trade in Somalia and finally to establish awareness of charcoal trade in Somalia. Methodology of this study was collected primary data using questionnaire as a research instrument. Descriptive designs and cross sectional were used. This study targeted a population 70 and selected 60 respondents as sample. The researchers were concluded the extensive cutting of tree species for charcoal resulted in undesirable ecological consequences. Proper regulation and control of forest resources would help reduction and survival of vegetation cover on the environment. Result, the demographically most of the respondents were aged 21–30 years with 38.3%), male with (55%), married with 50%, and by education were non-educated with 50%. The researchers were recommended the following, capacity building and empowerment of communities to take full responsibility of managing their environmental resources. And multi-stakeholder collaboration in prevention of uncontrolled harvesting of lives trees and indiscriminate destruction of natural forest in order to conserve the environment.