Estimates show that 200 million ton of dry biomass can be
obtained from forage grasses and shrubs, releasing about
2.28 Â 106 MJ of energy [12]. Majority of rural Nigerians depend
on fuelwood for cooking and heating. Therefore about 350,000 ha
of forest and natural vegetation are lost annually due to various
factors, by the beginning of last decade, with a much lower
afforestation rate of 50,000 ha per annum [44]. The consequence is
continuous felling of trees, which if left unchecked will result in
ever increasing problem of desert encroachment and soil erosion.
Therefore, the use of fuelwood needs to be discouraged through
the introduction of affordable and acceptable solar stoves. This will
reduce fuelwood consumption through better combustion and
through a reduction in heat losses. It will equally reduce the
cooking time as well as providing an organized channel for the
exit of smoke [45]. Table 10 shows different biomass resources and
their estimated quantities in Nigeria [44].