Effect of women’s socioeconomic characteristics on household fuel consumption in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of women’s socioeconomic factors and household fuel wood consumption in Dambao Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State, Nigeria. Forty households were randomly selected from where respondents for the study were obtained. Data obtained from the study were analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis.  The result showed that most of the women in the study were forty years and below (75%) while literacy among the women was about 92.5%. Over 45% of the respondents had household size of more than five persons. The study further observed that 97.5% of respondents used fuel wood solely or complimented with other sources of domestic energy.  The quantity of fuel wood consumed by respondent households was determined by income, age, family size, and marital status of the respondents. It was recommended that more sustainable ways of consuming fuel wood should be encouraged. Furthermore, other sources of domestic energy such as kerosene, liquefied natural gas and electricity will need to be introduced to rural women in order to reduce the rate of loss of the natural forest in the study area.

Key Words: Fuel-wood,  consumption, women, rural area, household