News summary produced by Claude AI
In northern Uganda, deforestation has accelerated due to charcoal production, with approximately 122,000 hectares of forest lost annually. Indigenous shea trees, valued for their fruit and cultural significance, have been particularly affected. Research from Makerere University documented a decline in mature shea populations on fallow land, dropping from around 20 trees per plot in 2008 to between 10 and 15 by 2017. The loss has been difficult to track because charcoal producers often remove entire trees, leaving no visible traces.
Lucy Everlyn Atim, a climate activist in her mid-thirties, founded Moyao Africa Initiative in 2023 after witnessing a similar fuel-briquette production model in South Sudan. The social enterprise transforms discarded shea husks into cooking fuel while creating income opportunities for women engaged in shea butter processing. The organization currently employs six staff members and collaborates with more than 1,200 women organized into savings groups across the region.
The initiative conducts training sessions teaching women to collect husks, crush them, mix with clay and cassava flour, mold, and sun-dry the resulting briquettes. Participants report tangible benefits, including reduced reliance on purchased charcoal and additional household income. Catherine Akello, a group chairperson and mother of five, noted that briquette production from previously discarded husks now provides fuel security and allows savings groups to build financial reserves for emergencies.
Production currently remains constrained by seasonal shea harvests. Atim seeks approximately $530 to purchase machinery including a carbonizer, crusher, and briquette press, which would enable year-round production and increased output. She plans to expand shea butter production from 600 liters to 6,000 liters annually. Renewable energy experts note that properly carbonized briquettes burn more cleanly and efficiently than charcoal, offering environmental advantages.
Beyond fuel production, Moyao Africa Initiative operates environmental clubs in 20 schools and partners with the National Agricultural Research Organisation to distribute tree seedlings for landscape restoration. Development experts acknowledge that while such community-based initiatives are valuable, broader policy implementation and government support remain necessary to achieve widespread clean energy access in rural areas.