India, April 16 -- In the forested district of Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, Kumar Lal Uladhi pursues a livelihood handed down through generations, emblematic of rural India's enduring struggle for affordable cooking fuel.

A headloader by trade, Uladhi gathers firewood from forests near his village, Tintni, and walks nearly 10 kilometres to Mandla town to sell it, often barefoot. By avoiding transport, he saves about Rs 40 a day-almost half the daily expenses of his five-member household, he says.

Some days he returns with his bundle unsold; on better ones, he earns Rs 100-150 per bundle. On average, he sells three to four bundles a week, bringing home Rs 400-500. Collecting firewood has long provided both subsistence and free cooking fuel ...