Bioenergy perspective in Rwanda: The potential of the tree-based system in the agricultural landscape for fuelwood supply

Abstract

Agriculture is the backbone of the Rwandan economy and employs more than 72.2% of Rwandans. Agricultural land is one of the scarcest  resources, and its expansion leads to a decrease in forest areas and other natural resources. Studies on deforestation and forest  degradation in Rwanda indicated that the reduction of forest areas has generally been due to the growing population leading to  the expansion of agricultural land for food production and a high reliance on biomass as a cooking energy source. This review used  different studies and reports to analyze the cause of fuelwood scarcity and the potential of tree-based systems in the agricultural  landscape for fuelwood supply. The results indicated that biomass energy would likely remain the primary source of cooking energy,  comprising 85% of Rwanda's energy for cooking. Given land scarcity and projected population growth in Rwanda, expanding forests for  fuelwood is impossible. Therefore, the study underscores the imperative of integrating trees into the agricultural landscape to address  fuelwood demand sustainably. Integrated trees in the agricultural landscape is a fruitful farming system in a land-scarce area to optimize  land productivity, reduce pressure on forest areas by supplying fuelwood, and enhance the well-being of rural households by reducing  the distance and time spent in fuelwood collection.