The annual household fuelwood
consumption (cooking and space heating), energy
consumptions and fuelwood dependencywere estimated using
procedures given below: No fuelwood is burnt in the study area
unless it is exposed to sun in at least one summer season. The
average number of winter and summer weeks per year in each
selected villagewas ascertained after discussionwith a group of
key informants. Averageweight (values round off to nearest kg)
of sun dried headload was estimated for by weighing five
headloads chosen randomly in the respective village. Average
number of headloads consumed per weak by each sampled
household, both during winter and summer season, were
ascertained during the survey work. Total annual fuelwood
consumption of the households was calculated by the formula: