ADOPTION OF IMPROVED STOVE AND ITS EFFECT ON FOREST COVERAGE IN CHILGA WOREDA, AMHARA REGION

Abstract

This study presented the adoption of improved stove and its effect on forest coverage in chilga woreda. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. The study surveyed 133 farmers selected using simple random sampling technique. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews provided useful qualitative information to supplement the quantitative results from the household survey was selected using purposive sampling technique. In addition to distributed improved stove afforestation, reforestation and participatory forest management programs to overcome the problems of deforestation and other related environmental changes in the study area. In the developing world plenty of programs and initiatives have been working to disseminate improved wood burning cook stoves which have health, economic and environmental benefits. This study aimed to assess the impact of improved stove adoption on forest coverage in Chilga Woreda. A survey was conducted using structured questionnaire for 133 households that were systematically selected from three rural kebeles which were selected purposive and stratified random sampling technique. Data from questionnaires were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The focus group discussions were analyzed through intensive textual analysis. The regression result reveals that, sex, family size, separate kitchen, average income and family size of households are highly significant at the most significant factors that determine a household willingness to adopt improved stoves at 0.05 % and 0.01% level of significance which is explained by 70.3% by this independent variable. In addition to satellite images for the year 1999, 2009 and 2019. The satellite image results show that crop land and bare land increased in contrast to forest land due to deforestation. Thus, women’s literacy level should be increased through adult education. Improved cook stoves programs and projects should target on areas where there is no open forest access. And there should be more structural decentralization in terms of assigning rural energy experts from Woreda to kebele level.