Evaluation of Energy Utilization in Bread Bakeries located in Gboko Town, Benue State, Nigeria

This research investigated energy utilization in bread bakeries located in Gboko town, Benue State, Nigeria. Snowball sampling technique was used to identify bakeries. Google Form semistructured questionnaire was purposively employed to interview one respondent from identified bread bakeries. Results show that 24 bread bakeries were located in 6 Council Wards in Gboko. Bakeries were found in Gboko Central, Gboko East and Gboko North (16.7%, 25%, 33% while others were 8.3% in Gboko South, Gboko West and Mkar, respectively. Respondents were mostly males (54 %) who were predominately Christians (91%) within the age of 50 years old. Education of respondents was 63% tertiary who were basically bread bakers (83%). Firewood (50%) was foremost one-use type of energy source utilized followed by gas (33.3%). Firewood and electricity (62.5%), firewood and gas (33.3%) and firewood and charcoal (4.2%) were two-use energy utilized. Firewood, charcoal and electricity (95.7%, highest) in three-use type of energy. Most preferred energy source was firewood (54.2%); gas (29%), electricity (12.5%) and charcoal (4.2%). Reasons for preferred energy use were: low-cost (45.8%), convenience (33.3%) and availability (20.8%). Main source of firewood was firewood marketers (73.3%). Challenges in accessing firewood were unavailability (60%), far distance covered to access firewood (20%) and high cost of purchase (20%). Highest estimated expenses made weekly on firewood was between N5,00 and N10,000. Respondents were not aware (50%) that the use of firewood causes deforestation, they were not sure (66.7%) they will replant tree and they however had preference (93.3%) for choice of firewood. Ranking of preferred firewood species by respondents were Prosopis africana (93.3%) >Viltellaria paradoxa (46.7 %) >Burkea africana (40%) >Daniellia oliveri and Parkia biglobosa (13.3%) while Khaya senegalensis and Magnifera indica were 6.7% respectively. Respondents had no strategies in place (73.3%) to sustain continuous used of firewood bakeries, rather they claim the will energy source (20%) from firewood to others.