Fuel Wood Consumption and Forest Degradation in Rural Highlands of Ethiopia: The Case of Amhara Region
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2005-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
A.A.U
Abstract
The paper examines the energy supply demandin highland rural Erhiopia- the case' of
Amhara Region. We develop a non-separable household model to analyze the link between
forest scarcity and household energy consumption, Focusing on the substitution of fuels from
the forests and commons and the private domain.
the model is estimated by two stage least squares using recently collected data from 12
rural Kebeles of East Gojam and south Wollo in the Amhara region. To check and correct
(when necessary) for sample selection bias due to unobsevabiltiy of the amount of Fuel
collected for non-collecting household, Heckit model was used.
fuel collections in the study area significantly respond to fuelwood collection time, Household
endowment profiles, And household demographic characteristics. The results showed that
households are responsive to fuelwood scarcity. The relative scarcity of private energy in the
model was captured by the effect of Non-Price variables including number of trees growing on
own field, Animal Stock, And farm size on this fuel type. Households that are better off in
owning large farmland size, Large Number of trees, And cattlie have an advantage to collect
more Fuel From Private domain.
the cross price elasticities of the above variables showed that fuelwood from commons and
the alternative domestic fuel (i.e. private energy) are gross substitutes. Many of the implied
elasticities were, however, low. Thus, policy interventions appear necessary to reduce forest
degradation.
Description
Keywords
Forest Degradation, Fuel Wood Consumption, Rural highlands of Ethiopia