regional wood energy development programme in asia ... - CES (IISc)

8.1 Conclusions
8 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
(a) Adverse climatic conditions coupled with population pressure have resulted in the
indiscriminate cutting of the forest cover of central Myanmar, transforming it into the
resource poor zone. The situation is further aggravated by the existence of an expanding
cottage industrial sector which depends, to a large extent, on woodfuels such as fuelwood,
bamboo fuel, charcoal, sawdust, mill off-cuts etc., as well as agricultural residues, as
sources of energy.
(b) To satisfy the demand for woodfuels and partly to deter further degradation of the arid
zone, the Forest Department established village forests around the rural communities in the
plains. At the same time it earmarked woodfuel supplies in the Yinmabin and Pyinyaung
areas.
(c) Although grid electricity for domestic and industrial use is available, the supply is erratic and
insufficient to satisfy the demand.
(d) The forest resource area of Yinmabin, produces a variety of biomass energy sources of
which the most important are fuelwood, bamboo fuel and charcoal.
(e) The present woodfuel situation indicates that the demand exceeds the supply. This causes
over-cutting beyond sustainable levels. Coupled with the low regeneration rates this, if left
unchecked, may have a serious effect on the environment, the consumers and rural
industrial development. Besides, the local economy may suffer due to the lack of
alternatives for income generation and employment.
(f) Unless the Forest Department is assisted by all concerned sectors, in particular the
agricultural, energy and industrial sectors, to cope with both the supply and demand
mangement, it will face serious difficulties in preventing an irreversible degradation of the
resource in the dry zone area.
(g) The income generated through woodfuel gathering is relatively high. And many young boys
and girls are able to supplement their income from dry farming, quite substantially.
(h) The woodfuel traders, based in the villages of the supply centres, in general are much
better-off than the woodfuel gatherers. However, income from the woodfuel trade is
diminishing and, as a result, many have switched to other businesses.
(i) The increase in the petrol and related transportation prices has a negative influence on the
woodfuel price. During the last five years, fuelwood prices increased by 29 percent and
bamboo fuel prices increased by 50 percent, but the price of petrol increased by 58 percent.
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