DAPP's Alternative to Charcoal helps former charcoal producers to explore other income sources

Local charcoal producers and farmers in Kalumbila and Solwezi districts of North Western province are turning to sustainable livelihoods in a project aimed at reducing local communities' dependence on charcoal and creating resilience for rural farmers through other sources of income.

DAPP Zambia's Alternative to Charcoal (A2C) project is bringing over 1,500 households, including 600 former charcoal producers into Farmers' Clubs to work together towards a common goal to reduce charcoal production.

The project is supported by USAID through Tetra Tech.

"The project recognises that to sustainably discourage charcoal burning, we need to promote alternative sources of livelihoods. We are bringing farmers together and giving them various inputs including beans, horticulture, and butternut seeds, as well as bee hives. To enhance production, we also supported the farmers with solar water pumps," explained Project Grant Administrator, Alpha Kabamba.

Alternative to Charcoal also connects farmers to markets and post-harvest handling management.

"..for example Katajika Farmers' Club brought together farmers that have never produced Butternuts before and they worked together to harvest a good crop that they sold to offtakers such as MKP Farms that are selling the products to markets elsewhere. Other crops were sold by farmers to the open market," he added.