Firewood Accessibility among Rural and urban households in Tranzoia and West -Pokot ]Counties, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated firewood accessibility in rural and urban areas of The aim was to avail scientific data for appropriate policy formulation to ensure sustainable firewood study employed independent group research design. Stratified random sampling technique w into rural and urban households. Convenience sampling was used to select Kolongolo and Kacheliba to represent rural areas of Trans-Nzoia and West-Pokot respectively. Purposeful sampling technique was used to select Kitale a represent urban areas in Trans-Nzoia and West total of 355 households from the study areas. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and observation; and analyzed using Kruskal Wallis Test, and Chi distance (Km)/Kg, time (hours)/Kg, household monthly expenditure, cost (Kshs)/Kg, and budgetary allocation (%) on firewood used. Results indicated that average distance/kg of firewood collected in Kacheliba was 0.29 Km, while average time/Kg in Makutano was 0.38 hours. In Kitale, average cost/kg of firewood and household monthly expenditure were Kshs 8.2 and Kshs 1577.5 respectively. Average mon accessibility, firewood was accessible in Kacheliba but inaccessible in Kolongolo, Makutano and Kitale. Land tenure system, government policies, cookstove technologies, and family size accessibility. Analysis indicated significant differences in households’ (χ2=11.998(0.05,3), N=249, p=0.007). χ2 -test indicated that firewood existing government policies. We conclude that firewood is accessible in rural areas of West and urban areas of Trans-Nzoia, and urban areas of West inadequate or poorly enforced to enhance sustainable firewood accessibi socks in enforcing current government policies and/or policy enhance firewood accessibility.