Subsistence Living and Global Climate Change: Implications of Biocharcoal Production for Farmers in Rural Areas of Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines socio-economic implications of charcoal production for farmers of rural communities in Nigeria using selected communities in Ifedapo Region of Oyo State. From a total of 67 charcoal producing rural communities identified in the region, 16(30%) was proportionally selected using three sampling techniques (stratified, purposive and simple random sampling). A total of 32 colliers and 8 middle traders (wholesalers) were selected as respondents to form the representative sample of the studied population. A-25 item questionnaire was the instrument used for the study. The survey reveals that charcoal producers are mainly male, married adult farmers with little or no education. The charcoal enterprise has been on part-time basis, undertaken as a coping strategy, and the forest is depleting due to uncontrolled and indiscriminate exploitation of mature and nearly-mature trees. Its production would not stop because available alternatives are limited and expensive. Consequently, creating short-term employment during off-season period for farmers, subsidising agricultural inputs, an appropriate policy that delivers gas and kerosene to the end-users for domestic use at affordable price, community participation in forest management, researches into the use of wind and solar energies, law against cutting down of trees without replacement and implementation of the components of the national planning programmes, which pertain to afforestation, discourage farmers from charcoal production.

Keywords: Fuelwood, Deforestation, Biocharcoal, Subsistence Living