Fueling the Fight Against Deforestation

When nearly every rural household in Rwanda depends on wood or charcoal to cook, the forest pays the price. 

That’s where Trinity University associate professor of economics Abubakr Ayesh, Ph.D., wants to step in to learn more.

Ayesh joined Trinity’s economics department in Fall 2024, and specializes in development economics. This is research that tackles real-world economic challenges in developing countries. This year, he traveled to Rwanda to study how cookstoves that use firewood, a key facet of Rwandan life, are related to the conversation around protecting forests and curbing carbon emissions.

Over the past decade, the international NGO DelAgua, working with the Rwandan government, has distributed more than one million “improved cookstoves” that use up to 70% less wood than traditional models. These programs often are financed through claimed carbon credits, so it is important to understand their actual contribution towards reduction in carbon emissions.

“We want to know if these programs are actually making a measurable difference,” Ayesh explains.

Working alongside two fellow economists, Ayesh spent the summer conducting focus group discussions in ten rural Rwandan villages, gathering firsthand insights from residents about their stove use, forest conditions, and perceived benefits. The team is now combining this local perspective with satellite data from Google Earth Engine to quantify real changes in forest cover. Their preliminary results suggest that there is a meaningful reduction in deforestation, but it might be dependent on some geographical and economic characteristics of the area.

The next phase of the project includes in-depth data analysis, policy reports for Rwandan government agencies, a forthcoming working paper, and a peer-reviewed research paper. Eventually, Ayesh hopes to involve Trinity students in similar fieldwork.

“This research is about generating sustainable solutions for everyone,” Ayesh says. “Understanding that link is key to crafting sustainable, effective policy—not just for Rwanda, but for developing regions everywhere.”