Abstract
Approximately 40% of the global population (primarily rural poor) rely on traditional cookstoves, with pernicious social, economic, and health outcomes. The Government of India launched its massive Prime Ministers’ Ujjwala scheme in 2016 to promote liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a cleaner cooking system, in poor communities. While there has been a surge in adoption, consistent use of LPG has been tepid. We examined the trend of use of LPG for 18 months in 58 poor households of South India. In place of soliciting survey questions on stove usage, we deployed stove use monitoring technologies to accurately measure the use of LPG and traditional stoves. We also analyzed factors characterizing LPG use. None of the households used LPG for more than 55% of their cooking time. LPG refill transportation, perception of faster cooking, and caste were significant predictors of LPG use. The findings highlight that social workers must engage with these communities to improve their awareness and shape their perceptions of cleaner cooking.
Highlights
Cleaner Cooking Fuel in Rural PoorApproximately three billion people, or 40% of the global population, primarily rely on traditional cooking stoves and fuels, a significant source of household air pollution [1,2]
Fuel helping in faster cooking: We explored the perception of women on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) relative to traditional biomass use in terms of which fuel, they felt, helped in faster cooking of food
Findings from this study suggest that refill cost, though a significant indicator, did not have a substantial effect on determining LPG use
Summary
Three billion people (mostly poor), or 40% of the global population, primarily rely on traditional cooking stoves and fuels, a significant source of household air pollution [1,2]. Incomplete biomass combustion in traditional stoves emits high concentrations of gaseous and particulate pollutants, while poor ventilation exacerbates human exposure to these pollutants. Dirty fuels release harmful concentrations of PM2.5 particles linked to cataracts and respiratory diseases like tuberculosis. They pose risks for structural fires, and kerosene lamps adulterated with other fuels have the potential to explode, resulting in lethal fires. Women and girls share the most significant implications from HAP. Women are more immediately and disproportionately affected by the implications of energy poverty and have less agency socially, politically, and economically to counter its impacts
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