Charcoal and Wood Biomass Utilization in Uganda: The Socioeconomic and Environmental Dynamics and Implications

Dastan Bamwesigye, Petr Kupec, Georges Chekuimo, Jindrich Pavlis, Obed Asamoah, Samuel Antwi Darkwah and Petra Hlaváčková
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Dastan Bamwesigye: Department of Forestry and Wood Products Economics and Policy, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Petr Kupec: Department of Landscape Management, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Georges Chekuimo: Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Jindrich Pavlis: Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Obed Asamoah: Department of Bioresources and Forest Science, School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, I-80101 Joensuu, Finland
Samuel Antwi Darkwah: Department of Territorial Studies, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Petra Hlaváčková: Department of Forestry and Wood Products Economics and Policy, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 20, 1-18

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.

Keywords: biomass; charcoal; deforestation; economy; energy; health; innovations; livelihood; women (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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