Solving Sociological Problems with Qualitative Tools: Options from Perceived Environmental and Health Effects of Charcoal Production among Selected Agro-Ecological Zones of Nigeria

Aims: The study discussed some basic participatory tools using a contemporary issue of the perceived environmental and health effects of charcoal production on the studied groups.

Study Design: The study made use of survey.

Methodology: The use of quantitative tools in analyzing social problems has been creating imbalance and arguments in some quarters of knowledge.

Results: The study find out that charcoal production was a major livelihood activity of respondents in the study area since high income were generated from the activities as a result of low level of education. Data on various issues of involvement, production, quantity, environmental and health effects, flow and distribution of charcoal in Nigeria are not sufficiently available and these have had adverse effects on the various development plans for the energy sector in particular and the country in general. Ranking can be undertaken with the key informants or groups of villages that represent a good mixture of interest. It can also be conducted based on gender to determine different preferences between men and women.