Variability of household fuelwood consumption in a rural Sudano-Sahelian context in Burkina Faso

• Published in: Energy for sustainable development Vol. 47; pp. 75 - 83
• Main Authors: Koffi, Christophe Kouamé, Gazull, Laurent, Gautier, Denis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Burkina Faso; Fuelwood consumption; Household size; Household wealth levels; Seasonality; Wood abundance; Fuelwood consumption; Burkina Faso; Wood abundance; Seasonality; Household size; Household wealth levels
• ISSN: 0973-0826
• DOI: 10.1016/j.esd.2018.09.001

Over 90% of the rural population in sub-Saharan Africa still relies on fuelwood as their primary source of household energy. In this context, recent robust data on fuelwood consumption in rural areas are needed to conceive and implement appropriate energy policies. This paper identifies the factors that determine fuelwood consumption variability in two villages in Burkina Faso, based on a two-year survey of 60 rural households of different size and wealth status. The women who made up the panel were surveyed at five-day intervals over a period of three months in the rainy season, one month in the cold dry season and one month in the hot dry season. Our results corroborate some fuelwood consumption patterns in rural SSA: fuelwood consumption per adult equivalent decreases both with the size of the household and with local wood scarcity. Conversely, it challenges the idea that the level of consumption is correlated with the level of household wealth. Finally, the most important result is that the scarcity of wood resources leads people to buy fuelwood from outside and adopt strategies to reduce their consumption by reducing the number of cooking cycles and certainly by wasting less energy, whatever the level of household wealth. •Fuelwood consumption is analyzed in two villages in rural Burkina Faso.•Seven endogenous and exogenous factors are examined.•Four main factors explain fuelwood consumption.•Fuelwood consumption per person is highly dependent on household size.•Wood abundance significantly influences consumption and cooking habits.