Adoption of Improved Biomass Cook Stoves: Case Study of Baringo and West Pokot Counties in Kenya

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, pe-ri-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.