Wood: primary source of energy in rural areas
With the solar energy focus in this edition of
ScienceinAfrica it is important
to look at the use in Africa of one of the simplest, and often most effective
forms of solar electricity - wood. Wood, the product of plants who sysnthesize
it using energy captured from the Sun, is the oldest solar energy product in
widespread use as an energy source. This article looks at ways in which the
sustainable contribution of this solar energy source can be maintained in
Africa. Rudzani Makhado reports
In most parts of Africa, the majority of people rely on wood for domestic
energy requirements. This is especially evident in the Giyani area of the
Limpopo Province, South Africa, where 80% of villagers utilize wood as their
primary energy source for cooking and heating purposes.
This research forms part of the author's master study on mopane woodland
utilisation and management. The study was conducted in the savanna biome in the
northeastern part of the Limpopo Province, where mopane woodland dominates.
Reliance on firewood
More than 60% of people in the sampled villages are poor and cannot afford
energy sources, other than self-collected wood. In addition, the influence of
culture also impacts on wood utilisation as opposed to other sources of energy.
It is a cultural belief among Venda and Shangaan elders that porridge cooked
using wood tastes better than when cooked using electricity. This perception
also contributes to an increase in wood demand as a first choice for an energy
source in rural areas, resulting in the over-utilisation and ultimate
degradation of the surrounding woodland resources.
Preferred species for firewood
Trees such as Mopane, Red Bush Willow, Leadwood, Knob Thorn and Sickle Bush
are used for firewood, as they produce quality fire due to their high density.
But, villagers prefer to use mopane because it burns slowly producing a high
quality fire, which lasts for a long period. In addition, research confirms that
mopane wood, consists mostly of fibres and cells with crystals that make the
wood burn slowly and raises the temperature of the fire. Besides the quality of
fire produced, mopane is the dominant species in the Giyani area and can be
repeatedly harvested due to its coppicing ability, a factor that increases its
preference.
Rate of firewood utilized
Mopane is a tree of choice for firewood, being collected and traded on a
large scale in many parts of southern Africa. At village level, this study
showed that the mean amount of wood used per day by a household of 5-8 people
for cooking porridge is 7.5 kg or 2.7 tons per year.
Wood harvesting
Harvesting of firewood is physically demanding and time-consuming work
especially for women and girls, who are also responsible for other household
duties. Wood is harvested from the surrounding woodland and then stored at home
until is ready for use. As the pressure on wood availability develops, the
distance travelled and time taken to collect wood also increases. Woman and
girls in the studied villages walked more than one kilometre and spent about 2-5
hours per day to harvest firewood. Another study also found that women in
Mametja, Limpopo Province spent an average of 4 hours per day harvesting
firewood [2].
Conservation
For the foreseeable future, the demand for firewood will remain high due to
increasing population growth and un-affordability of alternative energy
resources as a result of poverty. This could pose a serious threat to the
survival of highly preferred tree species with practices such as excessive
pruning leading to the whole-sale destruction of valuable plants, which will
occur more frequently in the future.
With the dwindling supply of firewood, something needs to be done to ensure
sustainable use of wood. It is therefore proposed that there should be:
- Closer co-operation between relevant conservation departments,
traditional leaders and villagers in the management of natural resources.
- Empowerment of villagers to monitor their woodlands.
- Proper implementation of a benefit sharing mechanism.
- More effective regulation for the collection of wood particularly by
non-locals.
- Amendment of permits with stricter harvesting requirements.
- Implementation of effective educational programmes to the general public
on practical methods of harvesting wood in a sustainable manner, tree management
(e.g. coppice management) and the efficient use of wood during cooking.
More information:
 Contact: Rudzani Makhado
Email: makhado2002@yahoo.com
Phone: +27-73-5800-510
Mr Makhado acknowledges
DEAT, DST/CSIR and NRF for funding
Useful reading:
1. Prior J and Cutler D (1992) Trees to fuel Africa's fire. New Scientist. 29
August 1992: Pp: 35-39
2. Twine W, Moshe D, Netshiluvhi T and Siphugu V (2003) Consumption and
direct-use values of savanna bio-resources used by rural households in Mametja,
a semi-arid area of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Research Letters. S. Afr. J
Sci. 99: 467-473
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