Understanding the current market enablers for Nepal’s biomass cookstove industry

Robinson, Benjamin L.; Jewitt, Sarah; Clifford, Mike J.; Hewitt, Joseph

Abstract

This paper applies the market map tool to the Nepalese biomass cookstove market highlighting existing weaknesses in government policy, cookstove market chains and providing a framework for cookstove interventions that better address the social, economic and cultural needs of users. Findings indicate government policy actively promotes cooking technologies however, this may not result in sustained use. Tracking mechanisms focus on numbers of stoves disseminated rather than numbers used. Attention is given to links between the underdeveloped nature of the institutional cookstove market and restrictive government policy. The methodological approach involved semi-structured interviews, field observations and analysis of government policy documents. Abstract This paper applies the Market Map tool to the Nepalese biomass Improved Cookstove (ICS) sector highlighting existing weaknesses in government policy and biomass cookstove market chains to provide recommendations to better address the social, economic and cultural needs of users. This addresses the problem of low adoption rates of biomass ICS in Nepal. Our research objectives set out to explore the effectiveness of market maps designed for East Africa's ICS sector (Stevens et al., 2019) in Nepal, co-develop a revised market map for Nepal's biomass ICS sector, conduct a parallel process for institutional-scale biomass ICS and draw on the co-produced market map to inform policy and regulatory frameworks relating to biomass-fuelled ICS. The methodological approach involved reviewing cookstove-related policy documents and regulatory frameworks, undertaking 31 semi-structured interviews, analysing findings from an Institutional Top-Loading Down-Draft (TLUD) Natural Draft Gasifier Pilot study and co-developing the final market map in collaboration with key ICS stakeholders. The results indicate that although government policy actively promotes biomass ICS, this often results in cookstove 'stacking' rather than the sustained and exclusive use of clean cooking solutions necessary to promote health benefits. Attention is also focused on the underdeveloped nature of the institutional cookstove market. Our conclusions highlight the usefulness of market maps with a monitoring and evaluation element for identifying barriers to clean cooking uptake and facilitating product improvement by integrating end-user feedback.

Citation

Robinson, B. L., Jewitt, S., Clifford, M. J., & Hewitt, J. (2022). Understanding the current market enablers for Nepal’s biomass cookstove industry. Development in Practice, 32(1), 52-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2021.1893659

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 30, 2020
• Online Publication Date: May 16, 2021
• Publication Date: 2022
• Deposit Date: Nov 4, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: May 16, 2021
• Journal: Development in Practice
• Print ISSN: 0961-4524
• Electronic ISSN: 1364-9213
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 32
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 52-68
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2021.1893659
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5017649
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09614524.2021.1893659?src=