Woodfuel consumption in Shinyanga rural district, Tanzania

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, factors influencing woodfuel consumption 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 were estimated at 711 m3 and 204 m3 per year 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 wooodfuel collection time at (p < 0.05) had no significant relationship with the quantity of woodfuel consumed. Basically, it was observed that woodfuel supply situations among the surveyed households most were experiencing deficit. It is burden for the collectors and also it is unenvironmentally 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 community awareness rising on woodfuel scarcity implication to surroundings and livelihood of households, be promoted.