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. 2020 Aug 13;17(16):5874.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17165874.

Drivers of the Adoption and Exclusive Use of Clean Fuel for Cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Learnings and Policy Considerations from Cameroon

Alison Pye  1 , Sara Ronzi  2   3 , Bertrand Hugo Mbatchou Ngahane  4 , Elisa Puzzolo  2   5 , Atongno Humphrey Ashu  4 , Daniel Pope  2
Affiliations

Drivers of the Adoption and Exclusive Use of Clean Fuel for Cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Learnings and Policy Considerations from Cameroon

Alison Pye et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Household air pollution (HAP) caused by the combustion of solid fuels for cooking and heating is responsible for almost 5% of the global burden of disease. In response, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the urgent need to scale the adoption of clean fuels, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). To understand the drivers of the adoption and exclusive use of LPG for cooking, we analysed representative survey data from 3343 peri-urban and rural households in Southwest Cameroon. Surveys used standardised tools to collect information on fuel use, socio-demographic and household characteristics and use of LPG for clean cooking. Most households reported LPG to be clean (95%) and efficient (88%), but many also perceived it to be expensive (69%) and unsafe (64%). Positive perceptions about LPG's safety (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 2.04, 3.05), cooking speed (OR = 4.31, 95% CI = 2.62, 7.10), affordability (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.38, 2.09), availability (OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.72, 2.73), and its ability to cook most dishes (OR = 3.79, 95% CI = 2.87, 5.01), were significantly associated with exclusive LPG use. Socio-economic status (higher education) and household wealth (higher income) were also associated with a greater likelihood of LPG adoption. Effective strategies to raise awareness around safe use of LPG and interventions to address financial barriers are needed to scale wider adoption and sustained use of LPG for clean cooking, displacing reliance on polluting solid fuels.

Keywords: Cameroon; LPG; Sub-Saharan Africa; clean cooking; clean fuel; household air pollution.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Reported degree of LPG use in the whole sample and by community (Buea is a rural community, and Botaland, Batoke and Mile 4 are all peri-urban communities).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Perceptions of LPG according to whether it was used exclusively, in combination with another fuel or not at all.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Interventions which would target some of the key factors effecting LPG uptake and exclusive use (adapted from Rosenthal et al. [72] (p. A6). New additions in italics).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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