Sustainable charcoal enterprise

The Private Afforestation Development Organisation (PADO) is a forest and farm producer organisation (FFPO) based in Kronum, near Kumasi in Ghana’s Ashanti region. Established in 2010, PADO supports plantation developers cultivating diverse timber species while promoting sustainable land management.

For years, plantation residues posed a persistent challenge in the area, piling up across farms, fuelling bushfires and offering no economic value. Yet market research revealed strong local demand for clean, sustainably produced charcoal, an opportunity PADO lacked the capital and technical capacity to seize until Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) support became available

Forest and Farm Facility activities

In 2022, FFF funding enabled PADO to acquire a modern charcoal-processing unit capable of converting plantation residuals into high-quality sustainable lump-wood charcoal. Members – especially women and young people – also received comprehensive training on charcoal production, quality control, packaging and value-chain management.

This intervention unlocked a new enterprise line that now produces approximately 3,000 bags of green charcoal each year, generating an annual income of 24,000 Ghanaian cedis (around US$2,000) for PADO and its members. The training professionalised the business and enabled PADO to meet consistent quality standards demanded by buyers.

Significance of impact

The change has been transformative for the 110 members who benefit directly: ten women now work full-time in charcoal processing, while 20 young people support transport, packaging and distribution.

The enterprise has also diversified incomes for plantation growers, reduced hazardous wood waste, minimised fire outbreaks and created reliable new employment in local communities. Charcoal has secured a stable market among local women traders, ensuring steady revenue flows throughout the year.

The initiative demonstrates plantation waste can be a resource rather than a liability – one that is cleaner, safer and more profitable than conventional approaches.

Conclusion

FFF support enabled PADO to convert plantation waste into a profitable green-charcoal enterprise – diversifying incomes, creating new jobs for women and young people, reducing fire risks and strengthening the sustainability of forest landscapes in Ashanti.

This green enterprise model is practical, replicable and directly aligned with Ghana’s goals for sustainable forest management and rural employment. It shows that residues once seen as a problem can become the foundation of a thriving local business.