THE USE OF FUELWOOD BY RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR DRIVING LAND DEGRADATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE

By Uche Isieke


Fuel wood is a major source of energy to the rural and semi -urban areas among developing countries.

 This could be owing to level of their awareness and cultural beliefs irrespective of their economy class on fuel-wood  as their main sources of energy.

The use of fuel-wood by rural communities mostly in Africa has contributed negatively to the growing rate of land degradation and deforestation in these areas. This comes with its associated impacts such as desertification and drought, erosion ,greenhouse gases and climate change; on the livelihood of rural communities.

According to the United Nations Environmental Programme( UNEP), 35% of the World's land surface is presently at risk and more than 20 million hectares are reduced annually to near or complete uselessness by desertification.

Desertification as occasioned by climate change poses serious challenges to food security, sustainable livelihoods and socio -economic development of  rural communities, with intense impact in the dry land areas.



The use of fuel-wood assumes its dynamism in rural energy system due to the fact that it accounts for most domestic energy consumption which is produced within the systems.

Lack of accurate and reliable data is a major challenge facing Nigeria's ambition to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030, and improve the livelihoods of communities affected by land degradation and climate change.  Up-to-date quantitative and qualitative information is critical to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals( SDGs), especially, targets 13 and 15.5.

It is imperative to note that no matter  how sophisticated any policy towards ecosystems restoration may appear,without intensive community sensitization and innovative ( action driven) climate change education,such a policy may end up as a mere written document that lack capacity to effect a change.

An action - driven climate change education is one that  tells the people, that which they have done wrongly and the best way to right their wrongs. It presents opportunities to create wealth, restore hope and build strength for resilience among the vulnerable. Such  an enlightenment that help the people to know the dangers  associated with cutting down of trees and the use of fuel-wood as a way to make a living.

Government should, through the ministry of education, ensure the integration of  climate change education in the Universal Basic Education curriculum to help inculcate "environmental  morality"; love and care for sustainable ecosystems,while sharing lessons learnt to friends and families. In the next 10 years these pupils and students should  have received enough education to become change makers in their communities.


The role of non governmental organizations ( NGOs) in achieving land degradation neutrality,as part of the SDGs by 2030 can not be overemphasized.
There is the need to strengthen partnership among stakeholders, in order to promote aggressive advocacy and enlightenment campaigns on the impact  of fuel-wood  consumption,such as climate change, environmental pollution and loss of biodiversity.

Efforts geared toward  building the capacity of rural communities, especially, on the production and maintenance of efficient cooking stove should be ambitiously pursued ,as it contributes to carbon emissions reduction,while it also strengthens the resilience of communities and the vulnerable, to climate change impact.

The introduction of woodlot with adequate incentives for farmers to manage regeneration in the affected communities,is another sustainable method that could help mitigate and lower climate change impact  caused by deforestation.

Adoption of sustainable land  management practices such as agroforestry  should be employed by the grassroots, to increase vegetation cover of the impacted areas, with a focus to manage natural regeneration as to curb flagrant abuse of natural forests with its economic values.

Fuelwood fetched for charcoal making


Government as a way of  legislation,should
set up a Land Degradation Neutrality(LDN) Fund where certain percentage of its annual budget can be dedicated to the Fund. Corporate organizations, especially, those whose activities directly or indirectly degrade the land,should be encouraged,as part of their corporate social responsibility ( CSR), donate to the LDN Fund. This could help accelerate Nigeria's ambition to achieve land degradation free areas by 2030.

Through the LDN Fund,efficient cooking stove and cooking gas  and necessary incentives that supports rural livelihoods can be made available at  subsidized rates, for  rural households who solely depend on the use of fuel-wood for survival.