In India, the efforts of the Joint Forest Management have attempted to improve the forest system. Some say these efforts have ultimately increased the amount of wood that can be collected by rural populations for cooking purposes, while others argue that restrictions on the amount of firewood that can be harvested has increased hardship on women, as they much search further for suitable cooking fuel.

As per joint statement WHO/UNDP/ 14 October 2004 www.itdg.org/print.php?id=iap_who “Rural women and their families also pay a high economic price for keeping the fire burning. Up to three mornings a week are spent collecting fuel such as wood. This perpetual toil denies poor rural women the chance to be more productive through paid work that would raise their family’s income, improve the standard of living and enhance their nutritional and health status”

As per Ministry of statistics and Program implementation Gov. of India 30th April 2007 "In 2004-05, firewood and chips remained the most important source of energy used for cooking in rural India, with 75% of the rural household’s dependent upon it. The lower MPCE (Monthly per Capital Expenditure) classes in rural India used more firewood & Chips and dung cake for cooking"

The percentage of households using firewood and chips was highest (84%) for agricultural labor households. Firewood and chips was used for cooking by 90% of households belonging to scheduled tribes in rural areas. (This is low income tribes) www.mospi.nic.in/press_note_511_30april07.htm