A charcoal ban has been implemented in northern Uganda, and the sharp rise in charcoal prices has put an already vulnerable population in a critical situation. The inability to afford cooking fuels may lead to widespread hunger and malnutrition.
Beautiful Uganda, September 16, 2024- According to the Uganda alert, the President of Uganda has issued Executive Order No. 3, prohibiting large-scale commercial charcoal production and trade in northern Uganda.
This directive aims to curb rampant deforestation that seriously affects the region and exacerbates the impact of climate change. However, as the order began to be executed, law enforcement officials expanded its scope to even include small-scale charcoal production for household use. The expansion of the ban has led to skyrocketing prices of charcoal. In the city of Gulu in Uganda, the price of a bag of charcoal is now as high as 90000 shillings - an unaffordable price for an area with a population of 43.8% of the country.Northern Uganda has historically relied on firewood and charcoal as the main cooking fuels. This dependence is driven by socio-economic challenges in the region, where poverty prevents many people from accessing economic alternatives such as natural gas or electricity. The sharp rise in charcoal prices has put already vulnerable populations in a critical situation, as the inability to afford cooking fuels may lead to widespread hunger and malnutrition.
