In Burundi, progressive deforestation remains a worrying phenomenon. Despite reforestation programs, so far the results on the ground have been mixed. For Jean Damas Yamuremye, a specialist in environmental management, environmental education is the key to reversing the trend

Deforestation is taking on a worrying trend. The dependence of the population on wood is the major cause of deforestation. More than 90% of the energy resources of the Burundian population come from wood. The use of wood in the construction sector, in saunas... worsens the situation. The proliferation of carpentry workshops in Bujumbura town hall is a key indicator of the degree of environmental degradation. Repetitive bushfires, forest clearings for agricultural purposes, and overgrazing are also other causes of forest loss in Burundi.

Scary statistics

Wood is the main source of energy for rural households. Statistics show that 95% of the Burundian population use wood as an energy source. The carbonization of wood to produce charcoal is also a real plague. 77% of charcoal is consumed by the urban population, according to data taken from Burundi Eco's environmental education kit. Annual coal consumption is estimated at 56,548 tons and 13,552 tons respectively for the urban population of Bujumbura and Gitega. At the national level, charcoal consumption is 104,718 tons. In 2018, the Council of Wood Ministers estimated that 30 to 50% of natural forests had already disappeared. The area covered by forests increased from 11.3 to 6.7% between 1990 and 2010, i.e. an average deforestation rate of 63 km2 per year. In 2000, only 189 thousand ha remained. If this rate of deforestation is maintained, Burundi will be forest-free in 24 years, according to estimates published in the National Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015.

No tracking of planted trees

For a long time, regulatory texts and national reforestation programs have been put in place. It is the same at present. The current national program is “Ewe Burundi Urambaye”. This project, led by the Ministry of Defence, aims at reforestation. In fact, thousands of trees are reported to be planted across the country. In addition, a large number of associations involved in the protection of the environment, particularly in the multiplication and planting of trees, are at work. Unfortunately, the results are mixed. The trees planted are not remarkable on land.

Activities are only limited to the planting of trees and no one monitors species, suggested Albert Mbonerane in 2019 in the columns of Burundi Eco. “In addition to planting campaigns, there should be a comprehensive education to support young seedlings during the first two years. Otherwise, all the efforts made to cover the ground would be in vain,” explains the nature friend.

The unconsciousness of the population, the first challenge to be met

According to Jean Damas Yamuremye, a specialist in environmental management, the first challenge in this field is the unconsciousness of the population. For him, the awakening of the population's conscience in the protection of the environment is a basis for fighting deforestation. This specialist in environmental management states that the issue of the environment has been neglected in the Burundian education system. “We did not incorporate environmental concepts into the school curriculum. We grew up knowing that trees are only for cooking and building. That was exclusively our relationship with trees.”

Jean Damas Yamuremye suggests correcting the situation. “We need to make the population aware of the importance of trees and forests on the environment. The population must be aware that they are planting a tree before cutting another.” He recommends integrating environmental protection concepts into school curricula from primary school. “This is the basis for all alternatives. If this is not the case, all the solutions proposed will fail.”

The worsening of the effects of climate change, the degradation of agricultural land, instability, erosion, water regimes, the control of floods, the worsening of erosions, the reduction of air humidity, the degradation of agricultural production factors are among others the consequences of deforestation, according to Dr. Jacques Nkengurutse, university professor.