Firewood use in Bulamogi County, Uganda: species selection, harvesting and consumption patterns

Abstract

This study was carried out in Bulamogi, Uganda, with the main objective of determining preferred firewood species, their harvesting and consumption patterns. Data collected through household and key-informants interviews, using open- and close-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, showed that 48 plant species in 36 genera and 20 families are used as firewood. These plants have other uses as herbal medicines and in traditional cultural rites. There is almost total dependence on firewood for domestic cooking and small-scale industries. Firewood is used to fire bricks (55%), distil spirits (26%), cure fish (10%), cook food in restaurants (6%) and to produce charcoal (3%). Firewood for domestic use is collected mainly by women, and largely comprises of dead wood. The distances travelled to firewood collection areas are short and little time is spent. The harvesting of firewood for domestic use may have a lower direct impact on the native flora, than the harvesting of fuelwood for commercial use by small-scale industries and to make charcoal, which requires large amounts of wood that is often green. According to the community response, firewood is abundant but declining. This decline may be related to increasing demands generated by the growing human population of Bulamogi, and growing national need for charcoal. Cultural taboos that have hitherto played an important role in plant conservation appear to be weakening. There is limited trading of firewood in the community.

Introduction

In most African countries, indigenous woodlands provide both urban and rural populations with the greatest proportion of their fuel requirements [1], [2], [3], [4]. Uganda is no exception and most of the firewood used in the country comes from areas outside forests on public or private land [5]. Firewood is the most significant source of energy in Uganda, and the majority of the people employ it for domestic use and small-scale industries, e.g. brick and tile making, agro processing and fish processing [5], [6]. In urban areas people use charcoal more than firewood. At present, demand/consumption for firewood in Uganda is estimated to be growing at a rate of 2.5% per annum. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization estimates for Uganda, firewood consumption grew by more than 2 billion tons between the years 1993 and 1997 [7]. This growing demand is attributed to an increasing population, a growing industrial sector, as well as the increased rate of urbanisation and high household incomes [6].

A heavy and growing reliance on forest and other plant species as a source of fuel may prove to be unsustainable in the long run and result in the loss of the only low-cost fuel available to the people. Owing to the heavy dependence of rural households on firewood, the anticipated depletion of stocks presents a real threat to economic welfare and growth [8]. As such it is important to maintain woodlands and also to manage trees or shrubs on farms in agroforestry systems. In Uganda proposals for countrywide tree planting have been recommended [5]. Attempts to develop exotic wood plantations to provide firewood have not been very successful in countries such as Nigeria and Tanzania [9], [10], [11], [12], [13]. Some of the reasons why agroforestry was not successful are: the farmers did not attach importance to the introduced trees; inadequate funding, planning and follow-up; lack of seedlings and skilled manpower; transportation problems. Therefore, a policy shift to manage indigenous woodlands has been mooted as a cheaper and more effective option for the provision of low-cost firewood. Besides providing firewood, the management of indigenous woodlands in an agricultural landscape is believed to be more ecologically sound and to offer better chances for the conservation of plant species. It is also believed to be more culturally acceptable. The management of landscapes with the aim of producing firewood or maintaining existing stocks requires that firewood with qualities acceptable to rural people be identified [14]. In addition, patterns of firewood exploitation need to be studied as they can help ascertain the influence of firewood extraction on the abundance and diversity of existing species. The objectives of this study therefore were to determine, the plant species commonly used as firewood, the harvesting patterns and major consumption patterns in homesteads, of Bulamogi county, Uganda. Charcoal production in the area was also investigated.