Socio-economic factore of firewood scavengers: A case of women participation in Sudas Savanna of Gombe state of Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined female farmers’ rural energy supply and use pattern in Kaltungo Local Government Area of Sudan Savanna of Gombe State during firewood scavenging. The study revealed fuel wood as the primary fuel and females were responsible for its collection from forest reserves through ground picking or scavenging. Farmers’ average weekly collection, time spent, number of days , distance covered and amount collected were 53.3 kilograms, 17hours, four days and 11kilometres respectively. Collection classification strategies developed for this study include Short Span Of Trek and Low Frequency (SPOT-LF: 13.33%), Short Span Of Trek High Frequency (SPOT-HF: 20%,) Long Span of Trek Low Frequency (LSOT-LF: 30%) and Long Span Of Trek High Frequency (LSOT-HF: 36.67%). All farmers stored fuel wood for consumption, sale and barter traditionally. Constraints to effective and efficient rural energy supply and use identified were education, labour, capital, time, credit, decreasing fuel wood availability, and contact with extension. The study concluded farmers’ participation in fuel wood production and utilization is frequent and continuous. However, the depletion of the woodlands combined with persistent dependency on fue lwood pose a serious problem for household energy provision and the environment. Woodlots and access to alternate, affordable, renewable, energy system would reduce the pressure on the forest and amount of time and effort women devote to obtaining fuel wood. There is need to research and develop an integrated energy package using participatory research for rural use in Nigeria based on alternative sources.