ABSTRACT
As discussed in some detail in the first chapter, woodfuel markets are an important piece of the puzzle that determines the effectiveness and sustainability of the use of wood as a major source of energy in African countries. Woodfuel markets influence the price of fuels in the marketplace, and so their use by consumers and their ability to survive affect the harvesting of trees in the forest, both in quantity and location. This ultimately affects the lives and livelihood of rural dwellers, and, in the long run, determines the ability of the country to meet the energy needs of its citizens. The effective functioning of woodfuel markets has the potential for touching the lives of a great majority of the people in a country that depends heavily on woodfuel for energy. It becomes important, knowing this, that the woodfuel markets in such countries are well understood. This understanding comes both in the isolation of the market as an economic entity, and in the context of the social, economic, and governmental systems that help to define the markets. From this understanding can come both specific and general measures that will help maintain the sustainability of energy supplies and forests in affected countries.
