Reducing deforestation and improving access of women to affordable fuel resource for cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa -Case study Sudan
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Firewood and charcoal are the main fuels used for cooking in Sub- Saharan Africa and for most women constitute a major item in the household budget. The increase in demand for woodfuels and the pattern of supply is adding to deforestation and impacting women in the region adversely. This paper investigates the problem at national level and by the geographical regions of Sudan according to the status of forest cover. A model is developed to assess the trend of the increasing demand for woodfuels and its impact on forest resource. Analysis of the associated socio- economic implications for women is conducted by assessing other household energy studies conducted at national and local levels. The model used for assessing the trends in demand revealed that with increasing population the level of demand for biomass sources in total at national levels is increasing under the current rate of uptake of gas as a fuel source. Policy measures should be introduced to increase the rate of penetration gas use. Analysis of information from other household studies showed that limited access of women to affordable energy sources for cooking has forced women to eat less cooked meals, or to resort to use other less efficient and more polluting biomass fuel. Scarcity in woodfuels is a result of the steady deforestation from the intensive use of land for agriculture and the commercial pattern of charcoal production. The process of deforestation is expected to accelerate, after the division of Sudan into two countries. It is recommended that more land is planted for forestry, community forestry is encouraged, and the resource is managed on a more sustainable basis. Studies cited show that increasing forest area for carbon projects would be more profitable if provision is made to include the woodfuels needs of communities to be met on a more sustainable basis.
Keywords: Climate change, Deforestation and forest degradation, Gender, Sustainable forest management, Economic Development
ID: 3486050