The Impact of Energy Use on Poor Urban Livelihoods in ... - DfID

A study <strong>of</strong> the impact <strong>of</strong> energy use on poor urban livelihoods in Arusha, Tanzania
<strong>The</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> LPG fell by TSh 4,000 in June 2003 but since there was no record <strong>of</strong>
LPG use in the sampled households, this has little impact on their livelihoods.
<strong>The</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> kerosene (tied to petroleum costs) has increased from TSh 430 per litre
in 2002 to TSh 550-600 in 2004 and poor households find it an expensive fuel.
Interestingly the data shows that the price <strong>of</strong> charcoal (in large sacks) has remained
relatively stable but the price <strong>of</strong> buying in smaller quantities has increased. This, <strong>of</strong>
course, greatly affects poorer households who tend to buy in smaller quantities.
Firewood has also increased in price since 2002 from TSh 700 to TSh 800 for a large
bundle. Currency conversion
Most stoves, except the cheap, locally available scrap metal ones, are not affordable
by poor households. Non-poor households who can afford a wider range <strong>of</strong> electrical
equipment complain <strong>of</strong> electrical surges which damage appliances.
<strong>The</strong> ability to cook outside using firewood and/or charcoal stoves is severely
constrained in the wet season and the need to cook indoors in a restricted space
means increased costs (kerosene is preferred), especially for poor families who do
not have a separate kitchen.
Relationship between fuel type and use
As shown in the energy ladder in figure 5.16, households, whether poor or non-poor,
do not make exclusive use <strong>of</strong> one fuel, nor is only one fuel used for only one activity.
Rather, all the households in the study, despite having access to electricity and
kerosene chose, for cultural and practical reasons, a mix <strong>of</strong> modern and traditional
fuels, a situation which chimes with experience elsewhere in Africa and the world
discussed in 2.2.3. Accessibility to the various fuels is constrained in part by the
availability <strong>of</strong> the fuel and in part by its cost, as well as the cost <strong>of</strong> the equipment
needed to use the various fuels. As shown in figure 5.16 poor households are highly
dependent on firewood and charcoal and restrict their use <strong>of</strong> the more expensive
kerosene and electricity, when it is available, to use for lighting, powering TVs and
radios and, in the case <strong>of</strong> kerosene, for fast cooking. For non-poor families,
electricity, kerosene and charcoal are the most frequently used fuels.
Fuel Preferences
� <strong>The</strong> overall preference among all households as shown in figure 5.15 is for
electricity. <strong>The</strong> low percentage expressing this aspiration among female-headed
non-poor households is because the majority <strong>of</strong> these households already use
electricity.
� For female-headed households in Daraja Mbili, electricity is beyond their
aspirations; they know they are unable to afford it. <strong>The</strong>y are also unable to
envisage an alternative fuel.
� Generally, in poor households, preferences for an alternative fuel are one step up
on the energy ladder from the fuel presently used, e.g. a household using
firewood will aspire to using charcoal and a household using charcoal will aspire
to using kerosene. This is particularly evident for poor male-headed households.
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Development Planning Unit, UCL London
Dr. Sheilah Meikle and Patrice North