Rural dwellers resort to firewood trading for survival

Daily Trust checks in villages in Nasarawa State showed that farmers now cut down trees on their farms and package the wood for their wives and children to hawk.
Malam Sani, a peasant farmer in Uke, Karu LGA said that the economic pressures on him and his other colleagues had forced them to look inward as they have a lot of trees on their farms and clipping some of the branches would bring some income for their families.
“Right now, farm work is not much, we are preparing the ground for the rain but hunger can’t wait so we cut down the trees on our farms and sell them. I made about N1, 000 daily from the sales and with that am able to provide food for my household,” Sani added.
Another farmer, Agabi Adogbo, who sells firewood to food vendors, noted that the trees have been there for years and that there were wastage as bush fires razed them yearly hence his decision to make them available to those who need firewood.
“Every year, after our harvest, hunters usually set the remains ablaze in search of animals so this year I have decided to cut down the branches of the trees and sell and so far with the money I’m making from the firewood I have been able to improve things in my household,” Adogbo said.
Madam Glory, a fast food vendor in the area told Daily Trust that it was cheaper to buy firewood from the farmers than those dealing in wood in the neighbourhood.
“With as low as N500 I can buy firewood from the farmers or their children and that will last me two days while any time I have to buy from firewood dealers it is costly and not much,” she said.