Assessment of Domestic Wood Fuel Utilization and Its Effects in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The importance of fire since its discovery has been to provide heat, light, warmth and cooking of food. Increasingly, human population has tasked the resources for making fire through both the traditional and modern processes. However the traditional sources especially among people from developing nations have created social and economic effects. This study assesses wood fuel utilization in Niger State, Nigeria, including the amount consumed, influential factors of consumption and socioeconomic effects. The study utilized a mixed method approach to data collection and questionnaire was distributed to 384 household heads that were sampled in the study. Only 20 among the sample were interviewed. The result revealed among others that household size, income, and availability of sources affect consumption while socioeconomic impact includes: scarcity of wood fuel resources, increasing distance for wood collection and health hazards. One of the recommendations is that there should be general economic development particularly in urban areas which brings income growth, in order to trigger fuel switching and in variably reduce over dependence on wood fuel sources.