Agroforestry for sustainable fuelwood industry in Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions : case study: Kumasi, Atwima and Atebubu Districts

Fuel wood is the source of energy for households and many industrial activities in Ghana. Fuel wood is widely used in urban areas but mostly in rural areas. Even though Fuel wood is a renewable energy if well managed there are some signs of scarcity in the country. During the thesis research the socio economic background of peop1e involved in the fuel wood industry were investigated. Farmers’ interest and responses to agroforestry interventions were evaluated. Structured as well as unstructured interviews were conducted through questionnaire administration, focal group discussions and individual interviews. The study area can be viewed in two phases: the urban phase and the rural phase. In the urban phase fuel wood production, markets and sources of’ hid wood were identified. Mill residue v as identified as a source of fuel wood. Some of the mills identified included Logs and Lumber Limited (L.L.L.). AG Timbers, Paul Sagoe Sawmill and FABI Timbers. The identified areas of’ charcoal production in Kumasi included Kaase, Ahinsan, Akosombo and Asokwa. The markets identified included Ayigya. Adum. Sepehuokuotu. Krofrom. and Tafo. The rural phase identified communities in Atebubu and Atwima districts. Due to the proximity the of Atwima district and the fact that a lot of hire wood markets identified their sources from the Atwima district led to majority of the research communities being chosen from the district. Some of the communities identified in Atwima district included Koheng. Mpasatia. Apenkro. Mofranfadwene, Kyereyase Amanchia and Toase. Identified communities in Atebubu district were Amantin, Kyato-Zongo and Sulemana. The results obtained indicate that some species used for fuel wood are experiencing shortages and may become extinct in areas here the used to be in abundance. Roadside communities that actively participated in fuel wood production and sale such as Kobeng. Mpasatia and Amanchia lacked the preferred fuel wood species such as Celtis while communities in the interior like Mentukwa. Mmehame. Oforikrom Akentcnsu and Kramokroin still have most of the preferred species. The preferred species that were identified in these communities include Celtis Species. fiscus experata, Amphimas pterocarpiodes, Albilzia zygia, Phylanthus and Terminlia ivorensis. The research also looked at farmer’s knowledge of Agrofurestrv and their responses to its interventions. It was noted that farmers had indigenous knowledge of agroforestrv, the use of shade trees and the practice of taungva using tectona grandis in their farming practices can be cited as examples. In the final analysis it would sum up to the issue that the fuel nod problem is a multifaceted one, which can be addressed nation wide at the policy level through the district assemblies to put in measures that would aim at sustainable management of our forest resource that would curb the ever increasing urban demand for fuel wood. The beneficiary stakeholders such as the fuel wood communities should be encouraged to practice sustainable farming practices such as agroforestry, which apart from its numerous benefits can sustain their livelihood as fuel wood communities.

Source: KNUST