Delta Agriculturist 13(1/1): 31-39, 2021 HENRI-UKOHA ET AL 31 DELTA AGRICULTURIST 13 (No. 1/1, 2021) Published by Faculty of Agriculture, Rivers State University, P. M. B. 5080, PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria Since 1981 Email: deltaagriculturist@gmail.com www.deltaagriculturist.com ISSN 1115-6813 Research Paper Pp 31-39 ASSESSMENT OF FUEL WOOD ENERGY DEMAND BY URBAN FARM HOUSEHOLDS IN OBIO/AKPOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA HENRI-UKOHA, A., NLEBEDIM, C., AROYEHUN, R.A Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. email of corresponding author: adanna.henri-ukoha@uniport.edu.ng ABSTRACT This study empirically assessed fuel wood energy demand by urban farm households in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of farm households in the study area; ascertain the source of fuelwood demand, determine the factors influencing the demand of fuel wood energy by farm households and identify the problems encountered by the farm households in fuel wood demand in the study area. Data for the study were collected with the instrument of questionnaire and interview schedule for its analysis from eighty (80) urban farm households using multistage sampling procedure. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and Logit regression model. The study showed that about 61.7% were females, with majority (88.3%) married and mean age of 46 years and mean of 6 persons per household. The mean of farm size was 0.98hectares and about 71.7% had no access to credit facilities. Logit regression analysis shows that age and prices of fuel wood substitutes were positively influencing fuel wood demand by urban farm households at 1% level of significant. While income and price of fuel wood were negatively influencing fuel wood demand by urban farm households at 1% level of significant. The study concluded that some urban farm houses demanded fuelwood energy. The study therefore recommends that relevant stakeholders should ensure the steady availability of cleaner energies such as liquefied petroleum gas, kerosene among others at subsidized rates so it can be affordable thereby reducing the demand for fuel wood energy utilization. Keywords: Demand, Fuel Wood Energy, Urban, Farm Households, Obio/Akpor 1. INTRODUCTION Fuel wood cover the largest group of bio- fuels (such as fuel wood, vegetable oils, herbaceous energy crops, animal and plant residue, and various by-product) used, this is mainly due to the extensive demand for wood, charcoal and their by-products for cooking in developing nations (Sati & Song, 2012). Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO] (2010) supported that wood has been vital to civilization for millennia, supplying heat in the cold, light in the dark and cooking food. Fuel wood is fundamental to most ancient societies before invention relating to its discoveries. Ever since fire was first utilized, wood has been the basic fuel for it. Although most of the developed nations now get the greater part of its energy for cooking and heating from fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum products. Yet wood fuels are still primary source of energy for most of the developing nations. Hence, fuel wood (fire wood and charcoal) accounts for about 50 – 90% of the energy used in developing world. The International Energy Agency [IEA] (2013) reported that over 120million Nigerians rely on solid fuels such as fuel wood, charcoal, sawdust among others for cooking. Fuel wood accounts for about 80% of Nigeria energy consumption due to poor