Wood resources and woodfuel requirements in North Bunyore location, Kakamega District

Abstract

This study focussed great attention on wood resources and wood-fuel requirements in North Bunyore location of Kakamega District,Kenya. The wood resources yield the biomass used for timber~ construction poles and wood-fuel supply. The resources pool has been reduced by increased wood demand and land cultivation due to population pressure. The wood resources depletion threatens the only abundant energy supply source. The question of wood-based fuels, its availability, defined uses, environmental consequences on an area where the rates of utilization surpasses the supply and the regeneration level of woody plants may form the major issues to be considered by concerned institutions. The problem falls under various Governmentand Kenya non Governmental Organizations (KENGO).These include; -'the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Agriculture, the Kenya Woodfuel Development Programme(KWDP) and the KENGO.

Dependency on woodfuel at the household level is a common phenomena in the developing nations. Its scarcity forms an urgent matter of concern given the prevelant low levels of technological progress. The rural population is in the area of worst-affected energy crisis zone. The details of this study and its concern for the high population density zone makes it form part of a major data-base for rural energy resources and certainly for areas where women are prohibited by cultural norms to participate in tree planting activities. This explains the influence of male migration (i.e.,away to urban areas)to tree planting activities.

The present study which is conducted at a micro-level scale should prove resourceful to the planners of woodfuel management strategies in the country as well as agencies such as KWDP, and KENGO. The findings have revealed that fuelwood is a major energy source for the pottery and brick-firing industries. This makes it clear that even where tree planting may be done to alleviate fuelwood shortages at the household level there is need for a further solution to the rural industrial energy supply problem.

On the other hand, it is evident that fuelwood utilization may increase with an increase in family size as well as by the income level of a household. The latter determines the amount of funds allocated to food, firewood purchasing and clothing. Where large families are involved the firewood used is "rationed and light meals are prepared to reduce overuse of the stock available. Nevertheless, where the weather indicatively reveals colder conditions, many families tend to use the fuelwood for space heating. This area seems to implicate a complex field of study that brings both social and economic aspects together. However, smaller families and improved solutions to effeciency in energy consuming stoves may form better alternatives to the problem. These and other recommendations have been established and outlined in chapter Six.