Patterns of rural household energy use: a study in the White Nile province - the Sudan

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Diss. Abstr. Int. A; (United States)

OSTI ID:6600213

Abdu, A S.E.

The study investigates rural household domestic energy consumption patterns in a semiarid area of the Sudan. It describes the socioeconomic and evironmental context of energy use, provides an estimation of local woody biomass production and evaluates ecological impacts of increased energy demand on the local resource base. It is based on findings derived from field surveys, a systematic questionnaire and participant observations. Findings indicate that households procure traditional fuels by self-collection and purchases. Household members spent on average 20% of their working time gathering fuels. Generally per caput and total annual expenditure and consumption of domestic fuels are determined by household size, physical availability, storage, prices, income, conservation, substitution and competition among fuel resource uses. Households spend on average 16% of their annual income on traditional fuels. Aggregation of fuels on heat equivalent basis and calculation of their contribution shows that on average firewood provides 63%, charcoal 20.7%, dung 10.4%, crop residues 3.4% and kerosene/diesel 2.5% of the total demand for domestic purposes. Estimated total household woodfuel demand exceeds woody biomass available from the local forests. This demand is presently satisfied by a net depletion of the local forests and purchases from other areas. Degradation of the resource base is further exacerbated by development of irrigation along the White Nile River, increasing livestock numbers (overgrazing) and forest clearance for rainfed cultivation. The most promising relevant and appropriate strategies to alleviate rural household domestic energy problems include: conservation of the existing forest, augmentation through village woodlots and community forestry programmes and improvements in end-use (stoves) and conversion (wood to charcoal) technologies.

• OSTI ID: 6600213
• Journal Information: Diss. Abstr. Int. A; (United States), Journal Name: Diss. Abstr. Int. A; (United States) Vol. 46:2; ISSN DABAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ADSORBENTS
AFRICA
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ARID LANDS
AVAILABILITY
CHARCOAL
DEFORESTATION
DEMAND
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DIESEL FUELS
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY DEMAND
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FUELS
HOUSEHOLDS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
KEROSENE
LIQUID FUELS
MANURES
ORGANIC WASTES
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
RURAL AREAS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
STORAGE
SUDAN
SURVEYS
TIME DEPENDENCE
WASTES
WOOD FUELS