Socio-Economic Analysis of Wood Charcoal Production as a Significant Output of Forest Bioeconomy in Africa

Wood charcoal (WCH) is a sustainable biofuel for rural and urban users because of its higher energy density emission marginal smoke when compared with firewood. Besides helping the poor majority who cannot afford kerosene, electricity or liquid petroleum gas (LPG), WCH key source income livelihood. This work aimed at quantifying volume production as well appraising socio-economics, including environmental impacts, especially impact long-term deforestation forest degradation in Africa. Historically robust data from databases UN-FAO, FAOSTAT, International Energy Agency (IEA), United Nations Statistics Division, UN-DESA statistics yearbook, Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) were used. The analysis involved descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis, geospatial techniques. result revealed that East Africa had highest average wood which was 32,058,244 tonnes representing 43.2% whereas West 23,831,683 denoting 32.1%. Others North (8,650,207 tonnes), Middle (8,520,329 South (1,225,062 tonnes) 11.6%, 11.5% 1.6% respectively. correlation matrix showed three decades significant positive all measured parameters (such areas cover, export quantity, value, GDP, human population, climate season, per citizen, literacy rate). an essential livelihood support system. New policies commercial licensing revenue ecological sustainability are required. Enterprise-based approaches poverty reduction, smallholders’ tree-growing, charcoal-energy conserving technologies, improved supply agricultural productivity encouraged. novelty this study can also be explained by diverse examined relation to no other studies region have done.