Woodfuel consumption in Mozambique occurs mostly in the rural areas where poor people live and there is no any systematic recording system, which would allow the fulfilment of gaps that FAO woodfuel data bank presents. The few studies available on woodfuel consumption in the country, presented in the references of the present report, unfortunately address more plantations than natural forest. However, a large percentage of fuelwood consumed either by rural people or by urban dwellers and industry is gathered from the natural forest. The Directorate of Forestry and wildlife, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, recognises the existing weakness of the fuelwood consumption recording system and has therefore been seeking funds to carry out more studies on the subject. It is expected that results of these studies will subsidise efforts for the fulfilment of the existing fuelwood consumption data bank gaps.
Mozambique National Report Data Tables, recently produced by EC-FAO Partnership Programme, with support of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, contain the most updated data on fuelwood consumption household, fuelwood consumption by user and fuelwood commodities. Its gaps will continue to exist unless more studies are conducted shortly. The authors validate data included in the National Report Data Tables, although they require slight amendments regarding population data, since most of these data were based on population growth trends.
