“We cannot stop cooking”: Stove stacking, seasonality and the risky practices of household cookstove transitions in Nigeria

Jewitt, Sarah; Atagher, Peter; Clifford, Mike

Abstract

Drawing on qualitative data from three contrasting sites in Benue state, Nigeria, this paper explores how and why cooking system use and priorities vary over time and space as well as the influence of household air pollution (HAP)-related health risks on fuel and stove choices. The findings indicated that cooking system choices were constrained by economic and access considerations linked to spatio-temporal variations in fuel cost, availability and service quality coupled with socio-cultural and utilitarian influences on cooking practices. Respondents demonstrated strong preferences for wood-fuelled traditional stoves although shifts in fuel use between wet and dry seasons were observed. Stove and fuel 'stacking' were widely practised to meet different cooking requirements and minimise risks from (often seasonal) variations in fuel prices, access and reliability of supply. 'Backsliding' from clean to solid biomass fuels was observed when families outgrew their improved cookstoves or considered biomass to be more affordable, reliable, accessible or safer. There was limited awareness or concern about HAP-related health risks and smoke was valued for preserving food and signalling food security. Attention is drawn to the value of integrating household risk perceptions into improved cookstove promotion and behaviour change initiatives to better understand constraints to the adoption and sustained use of clean cooking systems. The paper concludes by highlighting the benefits of monitoring household cooking system stacks (rather than the 'main' fuel/stove used) for analysing how their components vary over space and time and providing insights into the effectiveness of measures taken to reduce HAP exposure.

Citation

Jewitt, S., Atagher, P., & Clifford, M. (2020). “We cannot stop cooking”: Stove stacking, seasonality and the risky practices of household cookstove transitions in Nigeria. Energy Research and Social Science, 61, Article 101340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101340

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 28, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Nov 15, 2019
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Deposit Date: Oct 30, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 19, 2019
• Journal: Energy Research and Social Science
• Electronic ISSN: 2214-6296
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 61
• Article Number: 101340
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101340
• Keywords: fuelwood; energy ladder; backsliding; risk; household air pollution; Benue State
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2993879
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629619304700
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: “We cannot stop cooking”: Stove stacking, seasonality and the risky practices of household cookstove transitions in Nigeria; Journal Title: Energy Research & Social Science; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101340; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
• Contract Date: Oct 30, 2019