UNDP commissioned a scoping mission in three Counties of Kwale, Narok and Taita Taveta to assess the current status of charcoal producer groups, existing charcoal policies, methods of charcoal production, challenges realised, training needs and mitigation measures required. 
The key findings from the scoping mission indicated that the following challenges needed capacity building interventions: 
- Charcoal is still a major source of fuel and a source of livelihood. The indigenous trees are preferred for charcoal production and are being cut for crop and livestock farming.
- Charcoal production is undertaken on large scale in all the three Counties using traditional kiln technology that is inefficient and has low recovery rates.
- Registered CPAs and CPGs have inadequate capacities to govern their own institutions and market their charcoal production. Adoption of charcoal rules by duty bearers and rights holders was not up to date. 
- Charcoal trade is controlled by middlemen from outside the three targeted Counties who have created market linkages and have strong base of financial resources.

This is a report on the initiatives of the adoption of sustainable charcoal (production and use) technologies and practices that aims to greatly contribute to improvement of the quality of livelihoods for communities relying on this industry, while conserving the ecosystems and managing the emissions (mainly through continued deforestation and charcoal/biomass use). 
It is a result of UNDP working partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR), and the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) collaborating on a pilot basis to introduce energy efficient charcoal kilns and practices in the three (3) counties of focus. The initiatives aimed at enhancing cross-unit synergies and building on existing structures and networks.