Tanzania: Ministries join forces to combat illegal trafficking of charcoal

Dar es Salaam. Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism is set to hold talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs to discuss ways to combat illegal trafficking of charcoal along high ways.

Some traders have been transporting charcoal to the markets located in urban areas by using motorcycles.

Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Constantine Kanyasu has revealed this in a statement released to Media on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.

“The meeting is expected to be held at the end of this month,” revealed the Minister.

Furthermore, the Minister has raised optimism saying the move would also help in reducing road traffic accidents which have been on the rise-- attributable to improper trafficking of the charcoal product along high ways.

According to available statistics, Dar es Salaam region alone consumes about 500, 000 tonnes of charcoal per year.

The statistics further indicate that the largest amount of charcoal consumed in Dar es Salaam is being transported from production sites to the city using the motorbikes and motorcycles.

At least 3000 motorbikes and 1500 motorcycles are being used by the charcoal traders to transport charcoal per day via Morogoro-Dar es Salaam road network, the statistics further show.

Other road networks that are being used by the charcoal traders include; Bagamoyo and Kilwa road in the Coastal Region.

Referring to the deforestation crisis in Tanzania, attributable to illegal charcoal production, the Minister disclosed that about 400, 000 hectors of forest are destroyed per year.

“If the ongoing deforestation crisis persists, the entire country’s forest will be destroyed by 2032,” said the Minister.

However, MrKanyusa reiterated the government’s commitment to enhance environmental conservation strategies.

To achieve this, the minister said his office in collaboration with Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) and Home Affairs officials was determined to tighten security operations along the road networks in efforts to combat illegal trafficking of charcoal across the country.