Factors Influencing Adoption Of Improved Cooking Stoves

Abstract

Biomass fuels remain the highest in Kenya with 89 percent of the rural households highly depending on fuel wood as their main source of energy as compared to 7 percent in the urban household. Globally, there is an increased focus on the Improved Cook Stoves (ICS) and clean fuel adoption by the various international organizations such as Global Alliance for Clean Cook stoves (GACC) due to their potential benefit to household health, local and regional climate. However, despite all this effort, its adoption rate has been met at a low rate and therefore, this study aimed at finding the influence of socio-economic, stove-related and institutional factors to adoption of ICS within Funyula sub-County, Busia County. The study used Energy Ladder Theory to explain drivers to household fuel and stove choice, Diffusion of Innovation Theory to explain societal system, nature of communication, individuals that adopt ICS, and lastly Theory of Subsidization on how to pave market-based economy on the adoption of ICS that can help achieve social goal and highlight appropriate corrective measures where ICS adoption programs are regarded as wasteful. The study used both qualitative and quantitative data collection method. For quantitative data, a sample of 90 respondents was selected using systematic random sampling technique where at every 58th household, one household was selected. For the qualitative data, 7 Focus Group Discussions with a total of 10 member per-discussions and 2 Key Informant Interviews were selected using purposive sampling. Data collected were analysed using descriptive, correlation and Binary Logistic Regression. The results confirmed the hypothesis that socioeconomic, stove related and institutional factors are statistically significant at P-value less than 0.05. Furthermore, using descriptive analysis, the study found that 61%, 67% and 63% respectively of the respondents accepted that socioeconomic, stove related and institutional factors contribute to an increased ICS adoption. In addition, the study also found stove-related factors as being an important variable compared to the institutional and social economic variables. Based on the results the study identified a number of recommendations and suggested areas for further research. The overall findings of the study recommended the need to strengthen both market and policy-based strategies to increase ICS adoption in the area. With regard to suggested areas for further studies, the study recommended that empirical studies to be conducted on the effect of non-effective ICS on health and environment; economic implications of ICS on rural households; the role of government and CBOs on the effective implementation of ICS in rural households; and the evaluation of Juakali artisans on the production and design of ICS for rural communities.