Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuelwood substitute in the Western Ghats of India: Effectiveness and influence of socioeconomic characteristics.

摘要

Forest-derived fuelwood fulfills 70% of India's energy requirements. Given continued population growth and deforestation, initiatives are desperately needed that ensure essential needs of rural human populations, while maintaining India's unique biodiversity. This study assessed the effectiveness of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) at reducing fuelwood consumption in the Western Ghats. In 2007, measurements of fuelwood consumption were conducted over 14 days, in 135 households. Using household surveys, socioeconomic data were collected in 248 households. Results show that LPG has been a successful conservation tool in association with specific socioeconomic household characteristics. Households with higher incomes and that utilize crop-waste are more likely to adopt LPG. Households that graze livestock within the forest are more likely to use fuelwood. The use of crop-waste was shown to reduce the amount of fuelwood consumed. Exploitation of these trends should be incorporated within the LPG program in order to stimulate widespread reductions in fuelwood consumption.;Keywords: agriculture, biodiversity, conservation, crop-waste, cultivated land, forest, fuels, fuelwood, households, India, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), livelihood, livestock, resources, socioeconomics, subsistence.