Association urges care when burning charcoal

The Charcoal Association of Namibia (Caon) has warned producers to take the utmost care when producing charcoal this season to reduce the risk of veld fires.

The association says many areas are already very dry and veld fires may start if the area around the production site is not cleared properly.

“We have previously mentioned that the rules for charcoal producers were amended and will soon be published in the Government Gazette,” said the association in the latest issue of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU).

Caon is an affiliate of NAU.

The association says central or cluster burning of charcoal by three to four workers grouped in one area is compulsory, while scattered burning by individual workers in the field is prohibited.

This is to ensure that there is always supervision at the production site.

While charcoal production is a lucrative side activity to sustainably control encroacher bush on the farm, uncontrolled fire from the process can destroy vast areas of pasture, threatening other activities on the farm such as beef production.

The sale of charcoal makes a significant contribution to Namibia’s economy. In 2019, the sector employed close to 10 000 workers and about 200 000 tonnes of charcoal were produced, up from 120 000 in 2018.

Namibia exports charcoal mainly to Europe and South Africa, but has now entered the United States market, with the country sending its first batch worth N$2 million in April 2021.

Caon advised members to service all firefighting equipment.

“Make sure the fire engines are in running condition and that you have sufficient fire beaters, knapsack sprayers, etc., available.

“You must also update your farm map and have copies readily available at the farm so that they can be given to firefighting teams,” said the association.

The farm maps must clearly indicate all the roads, houses, as well as places where water is available, added Caon.
– matthew@namibian.com.na