Abstract
Charcoal and firewood fuel biomass utilization is thought to be the main cause of deforestation in Uganda. Moreover, the practice of utilizing charcoal and wood fuel in Uganda is said to impact the health of many women and children in the region. The goal of this study was to comprehensively analyze charcoal and wood fuel utilization processes in Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa and the environmental and socioeconomic dynamics and implications. The study equally intended to model out some possible improvements to wood fuel use while conserving natural forests. Both qualitative and qualitative approaches were used to study the charcoal and wood fuel energy situation in Uganda. The study collected field data (sample size: 199) which was subjected to descriptive analysis. The findings show that over 90% of households in Uganda and the sub- Saharan region use firewood and charcoal wood fuel, and that this fuel use creates social and environmental hazards. Our findings are also in agreement with numerous empirical studies showing that firewood and charcoal biomass are among the major causes of deforestation in Uganda and the sub-Saharan region. Ceteris paribus, we propose the adoption of Improved Eco-Stoves (ICE), which not only enable comprehensive combustion but also lessen the quantity of firewood used by more than 60%, together with policy decisions on the government of Uganda, given peoples willingness to take on alternative energy sources such as gas and electricity.
Highlights
Uganda is a nation well-endowed with natural/virgin forests of various species of the famous African hardwood
The household charcoal use was assessed by the value households spend on it monthly. 21% spend Ugandan Shillings 10,000, 14% between Ugandan Shillings 10,000 to 20,000, 19% between Ugandan Shillings 20,000 to 30,000, 20% between Ugandan Shillings 30,000 to 40,000, 11% between Ugandan Shillings 40,000 to 50,000, 11% between Ugandan Shillings 50,000 to 100,000, and 6% for Ugandan Shillings 100,000 and more (Table A3)
Many women in Uganda can put food on the table because of the incomes they gain from the trade of charcoal as a commodity [2,38]
Summary
Uganda is a nation well-endowed with natural/virgin forests of various species of the famous African hardwood. While these forests mainly support biodiversity and the entire forest ecosystem, they contribute to the national Gross Domestic Product through wood production and trade and eco-tourism [1,2,3]. Given the fact that the Ugandan population does not have nationwide access to modern. Given the fact that the Ugandan population does not have nationwide access to modern eenneerrggyyssoouurrcceess, ,ththeerreessuultltininggtteennddeennccyyisisttoooovveerr--rreellyyoonnaannddccoonnssuummeewwooooddbbiioommaassss[[11,6,6,7,7]]..DDuueetoto ththeelalacckkooffmmooddeerrnnaaltleterrnnaatitvivees,s,cchhaarcrcooaal lisisaahhigighhlylyccoonnsusummeeddfoformrmoof fbbioiommaassssininUUggaannddaa[1[,12,,24,,45,]5.]. BBooththinintthheeccitiiteiess, ,uurrbbaanncceennteterrss, ,aannddththeevvilillalaggeess, ,cchhaarcrcooaal laannddwwooooddfufueel lsseeeemmtotobbeennoottoonnlylyaann eeccoonnoommicicaacctitvivitiytyfoforrththeemmaajojorritiytyooffwwoommeennbbuuttaalslsooaassoouurrcceeoofflilviveelilhihooooddfoforrppaarrtitcicipipaatitninggwwoommeenn aannddhhoouusseehhooldldssinintthheecchhaarrccooaallbbuussiinneesssseessppeecciiaallllyy[[11––33]]
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