Assessing adoption of improved cook stoves among households in Kolir Sub County, Bukedea District
Abstract
In many rural areas, usage of improved cook stoves is still limited as majority of people still use traditional cook stoves. The study aimed at generating knowledge necessary for informing interventions for promoting use of improved cook stoves among rural households. Specifically, the objectives of the study were; to characterize various energy sources used in Kolir Sub County, determine challenges faced by households that use traditional cook stoves and to determine factors that influence adoption of improved cook stoves. The study was a cross sectional survey, collecting data using household interviews and key informant interview methods. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data and thematic content analysis used to analyze qualitative data. Results indicated that three-stone traditional cook stove remains the highest type of cook stove being used. Firewood was the most common used energy source and it was largely sourced from woodlands located at least one kilo meter away from households. A few individuals owned small woodlots around their homes for ready fuel supply. Based on the finding, the study recommends that government should intervene in most rural parts of the country by providing incentives for the use of improved cook stove to local people. Such incentives may include teaching local people on how to build improved cook stoves using locally available materials and giving incentives to encourage people to own woodlots for improved fuelwood security.