RWEDP Report No.33 REGIONAL WOOD ENERGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN ASIA GCP/RAS/154/NET REPORT THE NATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP ON WOODFUEL TRADE IN MYANMAR Forest Research Institute, Yezin 27 - 30 November 1996 FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Bangkok, July 1997 This publication is printed by the FAO Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia, Bangkok, Thailand The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organiza- tion of the United nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitations of its frontiers or boundaries. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) alone and do not imply any opinion on the part of the FAO. For copies write to: Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia c/o FAO Regional Offcie for Asia and the Pacific Tel: 66-2-280 2760 Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Fax: 66-2-280 0760 Bangkok, Thailand E-mail: [email protected] FOREWORD In 1990, fuelwood accounted for some 80% of total energy consumption in Myanmar, equivalent to about 20,000 tons. Since then, the consumption of fuelwood has increased, and this trend is likely to continue in the coming years. Though the country is known for its vast forest resources, in populated areas scarcities of fuelwood are severe and basic fuel needs are not satisfied, particularly in the Dry Zone. The flow and trade of woodfuels in the country may be a key element of balancing supply and demand. RWEDP has for many years cooperated with the Forest Department of Myanmar, which in 1992 resulted in a programme for the introduction of improved stoves. In the same period, a study was undertaken on 'Woodfuel Flows in the Dry Zone of Myanmar' (see RWEDP Field Document No. 39, published in 1993). When the government of Myanmar declared 1995 the Year of Fuelwood Substitution, RWEDP contributed to the national effort by giving expert advice on technologies for densification of biomass residues for fuels. Furthermore, throughout the years, delegates from Mynamar have been active contributors to regional workshops and expert consultations on various aspects of wood energy development. The National Training Workshop on Woodfuel Trade in Myanmar, organized by the Forest Department in 1996 at Yezin, was supported by RWEDP and built on previous experiences as well as presented new studies. The National Workshop also extended the concepts of the Regional Course on Trade in Woodfuel-related Products, organized by RWEDP in 1995 at Peshawar, Pakistan (see RWEDP Report No. 25). More than a hundred participants attended the National Workshop at Yezin, of which the present report gives an account. The report will be of interest not only to the many staff involved in Myanmar itself, but also to experts in other RWEDP member-countries. Thanks are due to the Myanmar Forest Department and to Mr. Tara Bhattarai, Wood Energy Resources Specialist at RWEDP, who assisted in the preparations and overviewed the publication. The sincere efforts of all those involved may contribute to satisfying the needs of the many rural people who partly or wholly depend on wood energy resources for their livelihoods. Dr. W. S. Hulscher, Chief Technical Adviser FAO/RWEDP i PREFACE Myanmar has faced woodfuel shortages in some areas of the country since 1950. Initially the scale of the problem was small and generally went unnoticed, even by the country’s foresters. However, in recent years the problem has become so acute that unless urgent and appropriate action is taken by the responsible authorities, the country’s forest resources will continue to dwindle and may even disappear entirely. The rural people, who form the majority of Myanmar’s population, are partly or wholly dependent on forest resources for their livelihoods. The woodfuel crisis is, therefore, essentially a crisis of the rural poor, and as such cannot be separated from other subsistence related crises, which combine to jeopardise the country’s development. The woodfuel crisis has become too severe to be competently handled by the Forest Department alone, given the available resources allotted to it. The task of restoring the debilitated ecosystem is too enormous a burden to be shouldered by a single agency. Authorities at all levels should realize and be genuinely aware of the depth and gravity of the situation and all ministries concerned should co-ordinate and pool their resources and make a concerted effort to solve the socio-economic and environmental problems that constitute the woodfuel crisis. Full state support is necessary for the successful rehabilitation and restoration of the debilitated forest resources and ecosystem. Unless, the state and the people as a whole can combine their resources an important part of the country’s national heritage will ultimately be lost. Let us be fully aware of the historical evidence that civilizations have become extinct because of the mismanagement of their soil and natural resources. Let all those who are genuinely concerned about this crisis pool their resources, whether from home or abroad, and facilitate full co- ordination of all management efforts pertaining to local assessments, local participation, privatization, and decentralization. A multi-disciplinary approach and a flexible social organization should also be supported and promoted. The National Training Workshop on Woodfuel Trade in Myanmar organized by the Forest Department in co-operation with the Regional Wood Energy Development Programme was an ideal opportunity for the country’s governmental and non-governmental organizations to review the prevailing woodfuel situation of the country and to make recommendations essential for the preparation of an effective future action plan to improve the Wood Energy Development Programme in Myanmar. Director General Forest Department Myanmar ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword ..........................................................................................................................................i Preface.............................................................................................................................................ii PART I: MAIN REPORT 1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background ...............................................................................................................1 1.2 Objectives .................................................................................................................1 1.3 Workshop Implementation.........................................................................................1 1.4 Opening Session .......................................................................................................2 1.5 Technical Session/Case Studies ...............................................................................2 1.6 Group Discussion Session.......................................................................................12 1.7 Field Trip .................................................................................................................12 1.8 Plenary Session/Recommendations ........................................................................14 1.9 Closing Session.......................................................................................................15 PART II: TECHNICAL PAPERS/CASE STUDIES 1. Wood Energy In Myanmar....................................................................................................19 1.1 Energy Use Pattern .................................................................................................19 1.2 Existing Landuse and Landuse Change ..................................................................24 1.3 Source of Woodfuel Supply and Acquisition Methods .............................................26 1.4 Suggested Measures to Address Key Issues and Overcome Constraints ...............28 1.5 Conclusions.............................................................................................................31 1.6 References..............................................................................................................32 2. Woodfuel Flow/Market from Pyinmana to Yangon: A Case Study......................................46 2.1 Past and Present Production of Woodfuel and Its Flow from Pyinmana to Yangon.46 2.2 The Adverse Effects of Overtaxing Forest Resources .............................................49 2.3 Discussion and Conclusions....................................................................................50 2.4 References..............................................................................................................59 iii 3. The Dissemination of A-1 Fuelwood Cookstoves.................................................................60 3.1 Improved Cookstove Development Programme in Asia...........................................60 3.2 Improved Cookstove Development Programme in Myanmar...................................61 3.3 Dissemination Programme of A-1 Fuelwood Cookstoves ........................................64 3.4 Results and Discussions..........................................................................................65 3.5 Conclusions.............................................................................................................66