The Smokeless Village: Understanding energy transitions in rural Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Energy poverty – or a lack of access to modern energy services – continues to constrain development efforts for many rural villages throughout India. Traditional cooking practices in particular, such as the collection and burning of fuelwood from local forests, negatively impacts health, well-being, gender relations and the local environment upon which many people depend. These traditional practices have persisted in rural India, despite the best efforts of governments and other local partners. However, examples exist where entire communities have mobilised a sustained shift to modern cooking practices, despite cultural and social traditions, and limitations of access to fuels and resources. In this case report, we unravel one such example in rural Andhra Pradesh, exploring the motives, governance structures and institutional characteristics surrounding this novel transformation to modern cooking practices.