Experimental Research on Rural Dwellers’ Perception of Effect of Charcoal Production on the Environment in Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria

Despite the law promulgated by the Federal Government of Nigeria prohibiting illicit felling of trees,
the number of charcoal producers is on the increase coupled with a sharp rise in the quantity of
charcoal produced with its attendants environmental consequences. Thus, this study investigated
rural dwellers’ perception of the effect of Charcoal Production (CP) on the environment in Guinea
Savannah Zone of Nigeria. Eighty five respondents were selected through multistage sampling
procedure. Data were collected through the use of structured interview schedule and were analysed,
using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings show that the mean age of charcoal
producers was 43 years. Majority (90.5%) was males, 90.6% of the charcoal producers were married
and 35.3% had no formal education. Majority (80.0%) of the respondents made use of earth mound
method of CP and 52.9% of them produced between 32 kg and 32000 kg of charcoal per annum.
Most of the respondents (62.7%) perceived that charcoal production could lead to erosion, while
62.4% of them perceived that charcoal production would not only reduce the available trees for future
use but also reduce the available air in the environment (54.1%). Regression result showed that
farming activities (β= 0.305), farming system (0.301), years of experience (β= 0.365) and sources of
trees (β= 0.280) were implicated in the level of perceived environmental effects of charcoal production
in the study area. Thus, high level of perceived environmental effects of charcoal production was
recorded. Therefore, charcoal producers should be educated on the effects of CP on the environment
and to participate actively in the replacement of trees.