Woodfuel consumption in Shinyanga rural district, Tanzania
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Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study was conducted in Shinyanga Rural district. Tanzania to assess the woodfuel
consumption at the household level. Specifically, its objectives were to identify woodfuel
supply sources, species and uses as well as to determine the quantity of woodfuel consumed
by households. Furthermore, woodfuel consumption influencing factors were also assessed.
Data were collected through household’s questionnaires, checklists, and participant
observations. The Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using the Statistical
Package for Social Sciences software tools. Findings showed that the natural forests and
man made forests were the ideal supply sources of woodfuel. Results also revealed that
about 65 tree species were recorded and botanically identified for woodfuel production.
Woodfuel was found as major energy source for cooking in the study area. However, due to
woodfuel scarcity, crop residues and cow dung are also used as options at households for
cooking particularly during the dry and harvesting periods. Furthermore, the total amounts
fuelwood and charcoal consumed by the households per year were estimated at 711 m3 and
204 m3 while, fuelwood and charcoal per capita consumption were estimated at 0.67 m3 and
0.14 m3 respectively. Moreover, results revealed that, household’s family size and
household’s occupation significantly showed positive linear relationship with woodfuel
consumption at (p < 0.05). Whilst, education level and time use for its collection at
(p < 0.05) had no significant relationship with the quantity of woodfiiel consumed. Despite
its significant contribution to socio economic livelihoods, sustainability of woodfuel has
received low priorities for its utilization development in the study area. It is burden for the
collectors and also it is unenyironmentaily friendly since its collection involves cutting
small trees and shrubs which are at regenerating stage for tree growth development. In
order to ensure sustainable supply of woodfuel it is recommended that the use of improved
cooking stoves, tree planting, encourage agroforestry farming system as well as communityiii
awareness rising on woodfuel scarcity implication to surroundings and livelihood of
households, be promoted.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Woodfuel, Unenyironmentaily friendly, Woodfuel consumption, Woodfuel scarcity