Fuelwood collection and children’s educational outcomes: Evidence from Jammu & Kashmir

The study investigates how children involved in fuelwood collection affects their educational outcomes by utilizing primary data from a rural district of the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The study also examines whether gender bias exists in collecting fuelwood for cooking purposes. The study assesses the educational outcomes of the children engaged in fuelwood collection using various critical parameters like literacy and numeracy skills, coping skills and social competencies and positive self-image and set of values. The study finds that in the study area, the majority of the households exclusively relied on wood as their primary source of energy for cooking and heating, and school-aged children are actively involved and devote substantial time to collecting fuelwood. Our results reveal that time spent on fuelwood collection has a severely negative impact on their educational outcomes. The adverse educational outcomes are more pronounced among females than males, underscoring the gender-specific nature of these impacts. To address this issue, one potential solution could involve reducing household’s dependence on fuelwood by providing alternative energy sources. The paper suggests interventions to accelerate the transition to cleaner cooking fuels in the study area. Government should make concerted efforts to meet households’ energy needs in a cost-effective and eco-friendly manner to accelerate the transition to clean household energy sources and reduce their reliance on fuelwood. This transition will be a crucial step in improving the well-being and educational outcomes of the children in the study area. Top of Form.