Rate of Fuel Wood Consumption in Selected Communities around Borgu Sector of Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assesses rate of fuel wood consumption preferences in selected communities around Borgu sector of Kainji Lake National Park. The study population for this research consists of households of four selected communities (Leshegbe, Malale, Kali and Baburasa) which were selected in Borgu sector of Kainji Lake National Park. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select the communities while Simple random sampling was adopted in selecting household members. Data collected were analyzed and interpreted using frequency distribution and simple percentage. The sources of domestic energy revealed that firewood is the major source of domestic energy with 72 observations, followed by Charcoal with 32 observations while electrical cooker recorded the least with 2 observations. The tree species use as fuel wood show that Vitalaria paradoxa recorded the highest with 22.5%, followed by Diospyros mespiliformis and Tamarindus indica with 15.0% each while Parkia biglobosa recorded the least with 1.6%. The source of fuel wood in the study area indicated that nearby farm/bush recorded the highest with 51 observations while around houses recorded the least with 7 observations. The level of fuel wood consumption in the study area showed that very high recorded the highest with 57.5%, followed by high with 25.8% while very low is the least with 0.0%. The factors responsible for the preference of fuel wood revealed that availability and accessibility recorded the highest with 32.5%, followed by Fast in cooking with 25.8% while it gives food special aroma and taste recorded the least with 2.5%. The study concludes that fuelwood is one of the significant products of the forest of which the resident communities rely on for their livelihood and energy for domestic use.