4. THE ROLE OF TREES IN LAND USE

4.3 Wood fuel and efforts to reduce consumption

In the early 1980s the importance of wood, charcoal and crop residues for energy supply in Kenya became fully recognized. The Beijer Institute study mentioned earlier (O'Keefe et al, 1984) concluded that as much as three quarters of the country's energy requirements were met by biomass. The energy needs of the rural people are almost entirely met from these sources. Among the conclusions of the study were that agroforestry practices have more potential for alleviating the shortage of fuel than any other form of tree and forest management. One important advantage of agroforestry in this respect is that the wood production happens where people live. Another conclusion was that there is a need to encourage people to use improved stoves in order to reduce consumption of wood. Considerable work has been done since then both on supporting increased production of biomass and on reducing consumption of fuelwood, and, as has already been mentioned, there are signs that these efforts are beginning to bear fruit.

The importance of a good supply of fuel

The vast majority of rural households in Kenya depend on wood or farm residues as fuel for cooking and heating. Fuelwood collection in rural Kenya is women's work. The majority of rural women are already overworked and the further away the source of fuel the greater their workload becomes. As a result women have less time and energy to spend on other activities such as caring for children or engaging in income-generating activities. This will have a direct impact on the family's nutrition as food supply at the household level is often strongly linked with the woman's income. The dwindling supply of food from wild trees will also have a negative effect on family nutrition and particularly that of children.

Fuelwood scarcity may influence both the amount of food cooked and its type. Women may be forced to choose foods that do not require a long time to cook although they may not be the best from the nutritional point of view. Collection of fuelwood from common land may also be a factor contributing to degradation of the vegetation in such areas, although it is not usually the most important factor.

Figure 4.5 A rural woman bent under a heavy load of fuelwood

Although, for all these reasons, a good supply of fuelwood is extremely important for rural households, extension efforts have shown that farmers are rarely interested in planting trees if the only objective is to produce fuelwood. Fuelwood is often regarded as a by-product, and if extension is to be successful the needs and priorities of the farm family must be the basis for the intervention that is suggested. It should be noted that if the household head is a man, the needs of women and children may not always be addressed. Therefore, it is important to involve the whole family in discussions about tree growing.

Most tree species can be used for fuel, but the quality may vary greatly. Some species burn very fast and have a low calorific value. Other species may produce a lot of irritating smoke or be very difficult to dry sufficiently well. Most appreciated for cooking are those species that have a heavy wood that burns slowly with a lot of heat and little smoke. A wood that is easy to light is preferred for lighting the fire and charcoal should be made from species that yield charcoal which produces a lot of heat. Some species burn even if they are not dried first, and though the convenience of this may be appreciated use of wet or moist fuelwood is always inefficient and should be discouraged.

There are many possibilities for growing trees on farms to meet fuelwood needs. Specific recommendations should be developed together with the people of the localities concerned.

Efforts to reduce consumption of wood for fuel

Metal charcoal-burning stoves have featured in urban Kenyan kitchens ever since they were introduced by the Indian railway builders at the turn of the century. In rural areas, the traditional open three-stone fire is still common. During the last two decades much effort has been devoted to developing and disseminating improved types of fuel-saving stove as well as practices that reduce consumption of woodfuel.

Figure 4.6 The traditional three-stone fire with use of wet wood

Figure 4.7 Different types of improved stove

Conservation practices include soaking food, cutting it up into small pieces, covering cooking utensils with tight-fitting lids, use of dry fuelwood, simmering food instead of boiling it strongly, and use of a good type of stove, possibly complemented by one or more "fireless cookers".

Use of a lid prevents energy loss to the air, so cooking is completed in a shorter time if utensils are closely covered. The efficiency of the lid is greatest if it is tight fitting and a stone is put on top of it. Dry wood always burns better, and less will be required than if wet wood is used. With dry wood the kitchen will also be less smoky and more comfortable. A smaller fire is required to simmer food than if the water is kept boiling strongly. Soaking food as well as cutting it into small pieces will reduce the cooking time required and thus also the amount of fuelwood required.

Figure 4.8 The three stone fire can be made a lot more efficient using dry wood and good cooking methods

The Kenya ceramic jiko¹ has been widely accepted in urban areas. The stove was developed as the result of collaboration between many institutions and with the involvement of local artisans who now manufacture it. It has been estimated that the Kenya ceramic jiko reduces charcoal consumption by 30-50 % and that the cost of the stove is completely recovered within a few months. No wonder that this model of stove has become popular: it has been estimated that more than 10,000 are produced every month in Nairobi.

Improved stoves have also been designed for households using fuelwood. The "Kuni Mbili" or the "Maendeleo Stove" is based on the same principles as the Kenya ceramic jiko but has a larger firebox designed to facilitate the combustion of wood. The Kuni Mbili stove has been field tested in various Districts but is still not widely used.

"Fireless cooking" has been introduced to the Ministry of Agriculture through the Bel-lerive Foundation. This method is now being disseminated through the Home Economics Officers of the Ministry. Using this technique, food is brought to the boil or allowed to boil for a short while and then removed from the stove and put in a basket filled with insulating material. The heat is preserved in the basket and the food continues to cook until it is ready without the use of any additional energy.

Figure 4.9 The fire less cooker

In 1984 a survey was carried out in several Kenyan institutions (boarding schools, hospitals, prisons, colleges, etc.) to establish the patterns of wood-energy use in their kitchens. The survey showed that these institutions depend largely on wood and charcoal for their cooking. Most institutions used inefficient cooking devices and had poorly designed kitchens (Kinyanjui, 1984). Since then, several organizations, notably KENGO and the Bellerive Foundation, have been involved in technology development and dissemination of improved stoves for institutions.

Another area that has received attention is the possible introduction of improved technologies for charcoal production. GTZ supported trials in this area under their Special Energy Programme carried out mainly in Machakos District. Out of the technologies tested, the so-called half-orange brick kilns were found to be the best type of kiln. The possibility of using coconut shells to make charcoal is also being looked into.

 Footnote__________

Thin poles often used in roof construction.

¹ Traditional stove.