36
Figure 17 Employing others in fuelwood production business
Table 8 Number of assistants engaged by fuelwood producers
Region
Mean Std. Deviation
Volta
5 2.95
Central
6 5.25
Western
3 2.07
Eastern
3 2.30
There are some producer associations in producing area particularly in Volta, Central, Western and Eastern Regions. However, over 80 of producers
interviewed do not belong to any association.
Figure 18 Membership of fuelwood producer association
4.2.3 Type of fuel wood produced
37
Two forms of fuelwood are produced for sale. It is either smaller diameter whole or split pieces tied in bundles or larger diameter cylindrical chunks often referred to as blocks Plate
3. Overall, approximately 60 of fuelwood producers supply bundles particularly in Volta 91, Greater Accra 67 and Central 79 Regions. Over 50 of the producers in the
wet evergreen and moist semi-deciduous forests of the Western 52 and Eastern 63 regions produce both blocks and bundles Figure 18.
Split bundles-Eastern Bundles-Greater Accra
Bundles-Volta
Blocks-Western
Plate 3 Typesforms of fuelwood produced-assembled at production site for haulage
91 67
79
42 37
56
9 25
15 52
63
41
10 20
30 40
50 60
70 80
90 100
Volta Region Greater Accra Region
Central Region Western
Region Eastern
All Regions
F u
el w
o o
d p
ro d
u cers
Region
Type of fuelwood produced
Block Bundles
Both block and bundles
Figure 19 Proportion of producers supplying the different fuelwood types
38
Producers commonly supply fuelwood directly to clients from the areas of production. Direct supplies to fish smokers is common in all regions 60, ranging from 65 in Volta to 85
in the Greater Accra Region. However, producers in the Eastern Region in 70 of the cases sell directly to transporters who act as middlemen delivering to traders or fish smokers in
fishing communities Figure 19. Thirty-five to 83 of producers indicated demand for fuelwood supplies may be high throughout the year particularly for those in the Greater Accra
Region Figure 20. On the contrary, 17 - 64 of producers from Greater Accra to Western Regions indicated that demand was rather seasonal and contingent upon availability of fish
throughout the year. It is high during periods of abundance in fish catch during the major season and declines in the lean season.
20 40
60 80
100 Volta
Greater Accra Central
Western Eastern
All Regions
Fuelwood Producers
Re gion
Producer clientele
Food Vendors Wholesalers
Transporters Fish Smokers
Figure 20 Clients producers supply with fuelwood
39
Figure 21 Producers perception of the status of demand for fuelwood throughout the year
4.2.4 Management of the fuelwood resource base
