Burkina Faso: How to Create Climate-Resilient Development in Rural Areas

More than 90 percent of households in Burkina Faso do not have access to modern cooking fuels and less than 30 percent of the population has access to electricity, a figure that reaches two percent in rural areas. In this situation, biomass is the main source of energy for Burkinabè families—especially charcoal, which accounts for more than 80 percent of domestic and industrial energy consumption. However, its combustion has harmful effects on the environment—particularly in terms of deforestation, which is estimated to hit more than 100,000 hectares per year (the equivalent of 140,000 football fields), with nine million tonnes of wood used for the country's energy needs. This Country Brief explores how Burkina Faso promotes the green economy in Africa through biodigester technology.