It is estimated that about 90 % of the energy consumed for domestic uses in Vietnam come from biomass (grasses, ferns, agricultural residues) and the rest from fuelwood. In particular the cocking of feed for pigs consumes a large amount of energy estimated to reach 350 kg of fuelwood per year and per animal. For the current herd of pigs raised in this country, some 4 million tons equivalent wood are needed, of which a half will be of wood and the other half of agricultural residues.
Rural industries dealing with the drying and processing of agricultural produce, the making of bricks, tiles, lime... also require millions of tons of fuelwood annually.
The production of fuelwood from forests have been estimated to reach 30 million cu.m. annually, which is to be added to the amount of 30 million tons of biomass (of which grasses, ferns, shrubs amount to 17 million tons and agricultural residues proper to 13 million tons).
Depending on the area under study, the consumption of energy for domestic uses varies greatly. In the Delta, besides their home gardens and rice fields, farmers have no other areas to plant tress for fuel production; therefore, they have to make good use of agricultural residues, and the biomass available around their houses, in their gardens, near farm ponds and along roadsides to cook food and feed for men and animals. In the Midlands, farmers have better opportunities to take advantage of the grasses, ferns and shrubs growing on easy hillsides next to their homesteads. People living in the Mountain area may have forest resources and fuelwood next to their houses in some areas people can use fuelwood at ease, in particular in winter time for space heating, thus leading to a higher level of fuelwood consumption in the upland.
Referring to statistic of 1994, one can describe fuelwood consumption per person (in cu.m.) as follow in various ecological zones of the country:
|
Nation-wide = |
0.40 cu.m |
|
- North west: |
1.73 m3 |
|
- North paper raw material area: |
0.93 m3 |
|
- North East: |
1.05 m3 |
|
- Red river Delta: |
0.05 m3 |
|
- North Central Vietnam: |
0.71 m3 |
|
- Coastal South central Vietnam: |
0.25 m3 |
|
- Western high plateaux: |
0.89 m3 |
|
- East South Vietnam: |
0.06 m3 |
|
- Mekong delta: |
0.15 m3 |
Due to a dense population, the demand in fuels for domestic uses in Vietnam is increasing rapidly; as a result hill and mountain-sides next to human settlements/villages have become denuded and barren, with rocks and stones showing at their surfaces, and trees (and even shrubs) not being able to get established under the impacts of severe and repetitive cuttings and fellings for fuel; the protection of these degraded vegetation types is not an easy task.
Recently, the use of coal, electricity, kerosene and gas for domestic cooking has become easier and much more accessible. Some households, in particular those in urban areas have shifted to new forms of fuel: gas appliances/stoves have been introduced in some cities.
Towards the year 2010, the population size in Vietnam will be of 95 million people: the demand in fuels under these conditions is going to increase dramatically. For fuelwood only, a supply of about 35 million cu.m. per year is badly needed as pointed out by plannes; it is to come from:
· Total use of forest residues from all logging areas:
· Planting of scattered trees;
· Use of economical cook-stoves; and
· Use of substitutes for fuelwood such as electricity, coal (under the form of briquettes) and gas (probably biogas in the countryside).
