Certification of sustainable charcoal – Implementing a certification process for Vi Agroforestry farmers
The Vi Agroforestry organisation has identified certification as a possible approach when working with the concept of a sustainable charcoal product and is interested in gaining more insight into the field. As the result of discussions held with Vi Agroforestry, the overall purpose of this thesis will be to identify and analyse the potential for a certification process of sustainable charcoal produced within Vi Agroforestry. The study aims to identify existing supporting factors as well as barriers for certification. The purpose has been divided into the following research questions:
– What should a suitable certification process for sustainable charcoal include?
– What would the benefits of a certification be for the farmers within Vi Agroforestry?
– What are the threats and barriers for sustainable charcoal certification for a farmer within Vi Agroforestry?
The study will investigate the existing conditions and the potential of certification for one specific small-scale farmer group in the Kisumu region in Kenya associated to Vi Agroforestry. By limiting the study to one specific farmer group, a detailed description of a local situation may be obtained. It may also be possible to get a deeper understanding for potential existing barriers and benefits related to a certification process. The result may be applicable on other farmer organisations within the Vi Agroforestry organisation, however the result of the study will mostly capture the unique complexity of the farmer group case study.
Helsing, L. (2011). Certification of sustainable charcoal – Implementing a certification process for Vi Agroforestry farmers. Bachelor’s Thesis. Department of Social and Economic Geography. Uppsala University.