People scratching a living from parched land, women walking miles for scraps of firewood are both familiar images of Africa. But, in many places, people, with the help of governments and aid agencies, are putting the land into good shape, growing more food and creating a healthy cover of trees. This book joins the literature of hope by looking at these advances from the viewpoint of the energy crisis of the poor. This crisis can only be solved by going beyond the narrow confines of energy to consider all the needs of local people and the potential for change. Drawing on a wide range of case histories, the authors describe the gains in farming and forestry and woodfuel supply that have come about through this broader, people-centered approach. They also write about woodfuel prices, markets and other key elements of survival strategies for the cities. Huge efforts will be needed to recover from the failures of the past, but Leach and Mearns show that important lessons are at last being learned and that new roads to success can be mapped. Originally published in 1988

People scratching a living from parched land, women walking miles for scraps of firewood are both familiar images of Africa. But, in many places, people, with the help of governments and aid agencies, are putting the land into good shape, growing more food and creating a healthy cover of trees. This book joins the ?literature of hope? by looking at these advances from the viewpoint of the energy crisis of the poor. This crisis can only be solved by going beyond the narrow confines of energy to consider all the needs of local people and the potential for change. Drawing on a wide range of case histories, the authors describe the gains in farming and forestry ? and woodfuel supply ? that have come about through this broader, people-centered approach. They also write about woodfuel prices, markets and other key elements of survival strategies for the cities. Huge efforts will be needed to recover from the failures of the past, but Leach and Mearns show that important lessons are at last being learned and that new roads to success can be mapped.Originally published in 1988

Questions the reasoning behind Western images of the environmental destruction taking place in Africa. This book addresses the issue of how environmental orthodoxies become established, and what the alternative and appropriate approaches for policy-making are. It shows that many of the established orthodoxies are ill-conceived or represent the interests of certain powerful groups. The editors draw together material from 11 key case studies across the continent which use first hand research in different ecological zones. Melissa Leach & RobinMearns are Fellows at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex Published in association with the International African Institute