Factors that affect adoption of clean cooking technologies and energies in Nansana Division, Wakiso District, Uganda

Abstract

Use of inefficient household cooking energies is a major driver of the degradation of biomass energy resources. As a mitigation measure, use of clean cooking technologies has been promoted. However, the number of households that use clean cooking technologies in Uganda is still small. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish the factors that affect use and adoption of clean cooking technologies among households in Uganda; a case study of Nansana division. The specific objectives were; to examine the influence of demographic factors on adoption and use of clean cooking technologies; to examine the influence of household characteristics on adoption and use of clean cooking technologies; to examine the influence of socio-economic factors on adoption and use of clean cooking technologies. Study findings revealed that awareness of the existence of clean cooking technologies significantly affected their use and adoption. The study further found out that the more the household head was educated the more likely he / she was to adopt and use clean cooking technologies. Costs of clean cooking technologies and cooking energies such electricity, LPG and improved cook stoves were reported as the major hindrance in adoption and use of clean cooking technologies. The study thus seeks to urge the government and other stakeholders to work on elimination of all these challenges that hinder the massive uptake of clean cooking technologies. If households are encouraged to uptake clean cooking technologies then Uganda will also contribute to the achievement of at least five of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for instance, reduction of under-5 deaths and related illness due to indoor air pollution (SDG 3); empowerment of women and girls by improving access to enabling technologies such as clean cooking technologies(SDG 5); providing access to reliable, efficient and modern energy through the provision of affordable, reliable and modern energy to all by 2030 (SDG 7); combating climate change through the implementation of climate measures in national policies (SDG 13) and the sustainable management of forests by reducing deforestation, land degradation and desertification (SDG 15).