TITLE:
Adoption of Improved Biomass Cook Stoves: Case Study of Baringo and West Pokot Counties in Kenya
AUTHORS:
Patrick Wamalwa, Michael Okoti, Henry Mutembei, Brexidis Mandila, Benjamin Kisiangani
KEYWORDS:
Biomass Cookstoves, Emissions, Improved Cookstoves, Deforestation, Energy Conversion Devices
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems,
Vol.12 No.2,
June
30,
2022
ABSTRACT: Biomass cookstove improvement has been a global active research area for
many decades and has resulted into much progress towards cleaner and more
efficient energy conversion cooking devices. Irrespective of the perfection and
development of improved cookstoves, many households in Kenya are still using
three stone cookstoves. In Baringo County, 71.8% used three stone cookstoves. The
focus of research needs to change towards adoption of improved cook stoves. A
cross-sectional survey was conducted in rural, peri-urban and urban households
regarding current cookstoves types in relation to fuel use categorized as
improved and un-improved in Baringo and West Pokot counties. Biomass was the
primary fuel in the two counties used in the form of firewood and charcoal at
average of 70% and 26% respectively. The main un-improved cookstoves in the two
counties were three stone and metallic jiko. The two were commonly used in
Baringo County with 28.5% of the households using metallic stove. Whereas in
West Pokot, Chepkube was the main cookstove used for cooking at 47.8% seconded
by improved three stone at 36.6%. The use of un-improved cookstove was popular
in Baringo County at 77.6% while infamous in West Pokot County at 21.7%. The
results showed that West Pokot County is more
conscious to energy related issues unlike Baringo County. The difference in
dynamic of the two Counties in terms of land ownership, access to biofuel,
social groupings, availability of cookstove installers and improved jikos could
be the reason.