Assessing the uptake of energy-saving stoves in households in Gayaza ward Kasangati town council Wakiso district

Abstract

The government of Uganda has made an effort to improve clean cooking in households through several programs aimed at promoting the use of energy-saving stoves. The uptake of energy-saving stoves is important to address the adverse health effects, economic and environmental effects. The study aimed to assess the uptake of energy-saving stoves in Gayaza ward Kasangati town council and also to identify the socio-economic and cultural barriers that limit the uptake of energy-saving stoves. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches and 50 households were sampled from a population of 100 households for the interviews. The findings from the study indicated that 54% of the households interviewed were using energy-saving stoves and considered them to be the most important stoves used to meet all their cooking needs though other stoves like traditional stoves, gas stoves, clay stoves, and kerosene stoves exist. Again, the study showed that financial constraints and limited information about the benefits of energy-saving stoves were the potential barriers that limit the uptake of energy-saving stoves. The study recommended that the government should provide stove producers with incentives such that the production of energy-saving stoves increases at a low cost making them affordable and increasing the uptake in households.