DETERMINANTS OF FUEL WOOD CONSUMPTION IN RURAL AND URBAN FARMING HOUSEHOLDS OF KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This research determined the factors that affect fuel wood consumption in rural and urban farming households of Kano State, Nigeria. A total of 258 respondents were interviewed during the data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The results revealed that urban dwellers were more educated (50.5%), obtained more income (N64,426), spent more on non-food expenditures (N63,000) and stacked fuel wood, unlike rural households who had less tertiary education (7.3%), lower income (N52,666), and spent less (N16,000) while using fuel wood only as their source of domestic energy. Multiple regression analysis of the factors affecting rural household consumption of fuel wood had a R² adjusted  value of 0.642. Education, price of kerosene, household size, nature of cooking, accessibility and gender of household heads were the significant variables affecting fuel wood consumption.  On the other hand, the urban households had an R² adjusted value of 0.515 for fuelwood consumption; with age and household size being the most significant variables that determined the quantity of fuel wood consumed. Therefore, both rural and urban households need to create more income generating activities to be able to afford clean and superior fuels.