Contribution of Sale of Firewood Towards Rural Livelihood in Swaziland, and its Environmental Sustainability

A study was conducted along the Main Road number 3 (MR 3) to determine the contribution of sale of firewood to the livelihood of the rural population in the lowveld of Swaziland and its environmental impact. The study used structured questionnaires and interview schedules to collect data. The questionnaires were administered to 18 firewood sellers along the road who were selected systematically by administering it to every second firewood seller out of the total of 37 firewood sellers. The area under forest/woodlands was determined by analysis of Landsat Thematic Mapper (Landsat TM) and Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (Landsat ETM) for 1994 and 2006, respectively. The results revealed that the majority of firewood harvesters had permission to do so from the owners and management of land where harvesting was taking place. The harvesting was not monitored, and there were instances of protected plant species being harvested for firewood. The amount of firewood harvested by each individual was not regulated. The sale of firewood contributed between US$ 67 and US$ 133 per month to the livelihood of the sellers. The contribution to the livelihood of the sellers was significant considering that 69% of the population is Swaziland live below the poverty line of US$2 per day.