Energy has emerged as a major concern in rural development planning in recent years. It is recognized that in spite of the introduction of commercial energy, dwindling supply of biomass causes interrelated problems affecting levels of living, especially of rural populations. There are vital links between fuelwood shortages, land use, maintenance of environmental stability for food and crop production, and rural development. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in its conferences, continues to stress the importance of an integrated approach to energy conservation problems and the necessity of the active participation of people in tackling fuelwood supply situation. Working with households implies an emphasis on situation. Working with households implies an emphasis on the significance of women's labor and management contribution to household energy use, and recognition of the interdependence between fuel, human and animal energy use over the range of farm and domestic activities undertaken by rural households.
