CfSC worried over Malawi’s heavy energy costs
Social watchdog, Centre for Social Concern CfSC) says the country’s poor living in both towns and villages are being subjected to ever skyrocketing costs of energy without abating signs.
The body also fears that the country is suffering serious hidden costs to the environment due to lack of alternative sustainable sources of energy.
The NGO has sounded the alarm in a press statement titled “The Struggles of the Poor Malawians in the Quest for Energy for Cooking”; further stating that most Malawians are still relying on charcoal and firewood as source of energy for cooking.
The body bemoans that the development was placing more strain on the country’s little reserves of natural resources.
“For the past years, Malawi’s population has been growing at an alarming rate, thereby exerting more and more pressure on the country’s natural resources. Deforestation is the order of the day as households keep on cutting down trees for firewood and charcoal,” stated the statement.
According CfSC, biomass is the main source of energy in Malawi accounting for 97 percent total primary energy supply out of which 59 percent is used in its primary form as firewood (52 percent) and residues (7 percent), while the remaining 41 percent are converted into charcoal.
“The CfSC recommends that a serious study be done to see how the fuel or energy needs of households can be met in a sustainable manner. Some solutions which are more easily accessible are: chitetezo mbaula, rocket stoves, and other innovative technology; promoting the principle of ‘cut one tree, plant two; the spread of electrification; taxation on charcoal which has the advantage of controlling somewhat the cutting of wood and could be an investment towards tree planting,” further stated the NGO.
The centre further laments that most people in towns and rural areas also find the cost of the cheapest means of energy too expensive.
According to the Centre for Social Concern, average cost of charcoal K5 357 (about $14) for the cities of Lilongwe, Zomba, Blantyre and Mzuzu is in the month of June 2014 is K5 357, K5 000 ($13), K7 714 ($20) and K5 000 respectively.
