Fuel Network

Livelihoods & Food Security

Photo by Erin Patrick, Women’s Refugee Commission. Stove Cooking, Thailand.

Women/girls spend significant time/labour to secure sufficient cooking fuel, threatening their welfare and limiting opportunities for education and/or safer income-generation activities (IGAs). Women without access to safer IGAs may rely on collection/sale of firewood to support their families. The primary source of income for displaced persons is often woodfuel-intensive activities; such activities can lead to extensive deforestation. Population pressure on already degraded natural resources endangers the food security and livelihoods of both displaced and hosts and can foster tensions resulting in retribution/attacks on firewood collectors.

Safe Access to Firewood and Alternative Energy in Uganda: An Appraisal Report
Following the launch of the SAFE guidance material in April 2009, WFP decided to undertake two feasibility studies in North Darfur and Uganda, where fuel scarcity is negatively affecting WFP beneficiaries. The purpose of these studies is to better understand how beneficiaries are coping with fuel scarcity and the related consequences, to take stock of existing responses by both WFP and partners, and to propose a comprehensive approach that addresses human and environmental protection, livelihoods, food and nutrition.

Safe Access to Firewood and Alternative Energy in North Darfur: An Appraisal Report
Following the launch of the SAFE guidance material in April 2009, WFP decided to undertake two feasibility studies in North Darfur and Uganda, where fuel scarcity is negatively affecting WFP beneficiaries. The purpose of these studies is to better understand how beneficiary are coping with fuel scarcity and the related consequences, to take stock of existing responses by both WFP and partners, and to propose a comprehensive approach that addresses human and environmental protection, livelihoods, food and nutrition.

Women’s Refugee Commission’s Youth Livelihoods Report – summary (2008)

The report documents vocational training (VT) opportunities for young people in northern Uganda, presenting an analysis of VT programming and the actors involved. It offers VT providers concrete recommendations for programming at each stage in the VT cycle, including best practices, case studies and lessons learned. The report identifies how VT programs can best meet youths’ needs for education and sustainable livelihoods while also supporting a broader strategy of economic reconstruction and social restoration in northern Uganda. It will be accompanied by a Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Programs and Youth available in September 2008.

Women’s Refugee Commission’s Youth Livelihoods Report (2008)

Market Assessment Toolkit

Livelihoods Options Handbook

CHF’s Income-Generation Manual: Returning Profit to Income-Generating Activities [Darfur]

In times of crisis, the need to generate income may force women and children to engage in activities of heightened risk to support their families. In particular, CHF found that women and girls participating in the collection and sale of firewood in Darfur were at increased risk of gender-based violence. Based on their experience in Darfur implementing alternative income-generating activities (IGAs), CHF’s manual introduces and discusses general concepts and tools for strengthening basic business skills of participants and community structures around IGAs. The manual uses case studies to facilitate learning and decision-making regarding the development of a sustainable IGA. It is designed for trainers and practitioners working in the field on community development, especially in areas transitioning from conflict to post-conflict environments.

Interventions

Regions

Photo by Erin Patrick, Women’s Refugee Commission. Stove Cooking, Thailand.

Resources