Analyse economique de la consommation du bois de feu en regions forestieres : Leçons des zones urbaines Camerounaises

This paper aims at analyzing fuel consumption in households of forest zones, and showed fuelwood’s place as energy source in the region. The study is carried out in Cameroon and it is based on a survey done in 1996. A sample of 400 household from Yaounde, Mbalmayo and Ebolowa was used. The results obtained confirm the importance of fuelwood, in its different forms, as a source of energy in urban areas. This importance is more observed in less urbanized town, while the others sources of energy (kerosene, gas) have a spatial repartition which is contrary to the above. Finally, econometric analysis through estimation of Engel’s curves and calculation of income’s elasticities, exhibited negative link between income levels and fuelwood consumption.