Determinants of improved cookstove adoption and its benefits Ethiopia

Abstract Background In Ethiopia's rural areas, biomass is the most prevalent energy source for lighting and cooking. Open fires and conventional, inefficient stoves are used to convert energy, which lowers the quality of life owing to the health effects of smoking and uses a lot of wood. As a result, healthcare expenditures go up, and cutting down trees contributes to climate change. Improved cooking stoves (ICS) have been distributed through youth cooperatives in the study region to improve the current subpar energy conversion technology. Methods Data collected from 344 households were selected using simple random and the required data were collected using a questionnaire. The interview schedule was also used to triangulate the data collected from primary households. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and econometric models. Results The findings of the study showed that only 22.97% of the interview households adopted the improved cook stoves whereas the vast majority (67.03%) still rely on traditional stoves that are highly inefficient. The prevalence of adoption of ICS was found to be 22.97% which is very low. The positive and significant variables in predicting the adoption of ICS were the educational level of the household head (OR 1.23; CI at 95% 0.029–0.040), access to the improved stove (OR 5.88; CI at 95% 1.05–2.48), affordability (OR 2.31; CI at 95% 0.11–1.56) and demonstration about the stove (OR 6.74; CI at 95% 1.13–2.68). Family size (OR 0.74; CI at 95% -0.45-0.12) and Availability of firewood (OR 0.27; CI at 95% -2.00-.56) significantly and negatively affected the adoption of the ICS. Conclusions The low adoption levels of ICS were found in the study area. Socio-economic, institutional, financial, and resource endowments have triggered this. Therefore, it is recommended that increasing access to improved stoves, diversifying income sources, creating awareness about ICS health benefits, and climate changes, and providing reasonable prices will facilitate its adoption.