Assessment of Fuel Wood Consumption Among Rural Households in Michika Local Government of Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Although fuel wood is an important and the cheapest source of fuel to many rural and low-income earners, it affect the natural vegetation, destruction of the ecosystem and it led to a lot of land degradation including soil erosion, air pollution among others. The objective of the study was to assess the fuel wood consumption among rural households in Michika LGA of Adamawa State. The factors affecting fuel wood consumption were analyzed. The challenges of sourcing the fuel wood were identified. The environmental effect of the fuel wood consumption was analyzed and the socio-economic effect associated with the strategies adopted to cope with the challenges faced during sourcing the fuel wood were identified. The data were generated by the use of questionnaire. 100 questionnaires were distributed but 80 was returned and was used for the study. Hence, the data were analyzed by simply statics by using tables and chats. The results reveal that fuel wood was slowly becoming unavailable and as such households had developed various strategies to cope with reduced fuel wood availability which include switching to the use of charcoal since it is affordable and readily available in virtually every shop in the neighborhood. The study recommends adoption of other sources of fuel like kerosine and biogas; provision of tree seedlings to promote afforestation; conservation and agroforestry, concessions; provision of solar and biogas equipment at affordable rate; improve access to energy efficient technologies; sustainable forest management and policy advocacy and implementation against tree exploitation.