Statistical Analysis of Flow of Charcoal through Trunk Road A7 and B2 Using Traffic Count Data into Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

Charcoal is considered to be the primary source of fuel for ages. Even in the current scenario charcoal is widely been used as a primary fuel both in rural and urban areas. The economic and financial policies of most of the African countries show that the demand for use of charcoal as a fuel source is not going to reduce in the near future. There is no regulation in practice to regularize the production, transport and use of charcoal in Tanzania. The practice of sustainable and efficient charcoal production is also way behind. The use of charcoal in urban areas is estimated to be around 62.2% and the use of wood in rural areas is estimated to be around 92.4% (TDHS, 2013). Tanzania ranks 7th among the largest charcoal producing nations at a global production of about 1.6 million tons (3%, World Bank 2011). The charcoal industry in Tanzania contributes to about USD 650 – 780 million to the country's economy. A study on the flow of charcoal into the commercial city Dar Es Salaam based on the traffic count on the two major trunk roads A7 and B2 that connect Dar Es Salaam to other parts of the world is conducted and the results are analyzed to suggest suitable solutions to reduce the deforestation rate in Tanzania for charcoal production.