A methodological framework for assessing development solutions: application to wood fuel challenges in Nigeria

Abstract

Development interventions often yield co-benefits and trade-offs across multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, current approaches typically assess progress towards specific SDG targets, such as increasing access to clean energy or improving health outcomes, rather than evaluating the co-benefits and trade-offs of the solutions used to achieve these targets. This study introduces a solutions-oriented methodology to assess the impacts of development solutions, applied to the case of wood fuel cooking-related challenges in Nigeria. Using a rapid evidence assessment and stakeholder workshop, we identify co-benefits, trade-offs, and barriers associated with 13 wood fuel-related solutions, classified into three types: enhancing fuelwood availability, adopting alternative technologies, and implementing external interventions. We find solutions that increase wood fuel availability can address environmental and social issues, but not health challenges, while alternative fuels/technologies face affordability, market, and cultural acceptance barriers. We highlight data limitations and propose an iterative process to comprehensively evaluate solutions' impacts. This process facilitates context-specific, cross-sectoral planning but underscores that no universal solution exists. Successful interventions require multi-sector collaboration, public education, and strengthened governance to balance competing priorities and ensure equitable outcomes. By advancing solutions-based approaches, this study contributes to integrating SDG interactions into practical, evidence-informed policy and programming.

Fig. 1

Direct and indirect negative impacts associated with the collection, processing, transport and use of wood fuel for cooking in Nigeria.

Fig. 2

Wood fuel-related impacts and the solutions that are expected to mitigate them, aggravate them, or both. Colour scheme shows the strength of evidence associated with each impact-solution combination (see “Methods” for details).

Fig. 3

Recorded solutions to wood fuel-related impacts and the barriers that each might be expected to experience. Colour scheme shows the strength of evidence associated with each solution-barrier combination (see “Methods” for details).

Fig. 4

Steps in the process to guide decision-makers in selecting solutions, enabling a more comprehensive assessment of their potential effects and iterative development of the knowledge base.