Follow-up study of improved cookstoves in the Cuzco region of Peru

ABSTRACT

Approximately three billion people use traditional biomass cookstoves. These stoves contribute to indoor air pollution, notably affecting women and children, and to deforestation and climate change. Improved cookstoves have been offered as a solution, but low rates of adoption are common among stove programmes. This paper is a follow-up study of a stove programme run by the NGO Proworld Service Corps in Cuzco, Peru. A survey was administered in 43 households in three communities. The results indicate an adoption rate of 70% and identify the characteristics of the stoves that contribute to their adoption and sustained use.

Environ trois milliards d’individus utilisent des fourneaux à biocarburant. Ces fourneaux contribuent à la pollution à l’intérieur des logements qui affecte notamment les femmes et les enfants, et à la déforestation et au changement climatique. Des fourneaux plus performants ont été proposés comme solution, mais il est fréquent que leurs taux d’adoption soient faibles dans les programmes concernés. Cet article présente une étude de suivi d’un programme de distribution de fourneaux conduite par l’ONG Proworld Service Corps dans la ville péruvienne de Cuzco. Une enquête a été menée dans 43 foyers installés dans trois communautés différentes. Les résultats indiquent un taux d’adoption de 70 % et identifient les caractéristiques des fourneaux qui sont des facteurs d’adoption et d’utilisation soutenue de ces derniers.

Aproximadamente tres mil millones de personas utilizan estufas tradicionales basadas en la quema de biomasa. Las mismas contribuyen a la contaminación del aire en interiores, afectando notablemente a mujeres y niños, y provocando deforestación y cambio climático. Si bien se han promovido estufas mejoradas como una solución, en los programas que las impulsan suelen prevalecer bajas tasas de aceptación. El presente artículo da cuenta de un estudio de seguimiento realizado al programa de promoción de estufas mejoradas llevado a cabo por la ong Proworld Service Corps en Cuzco, Perú. Para el efecto, se levantó una encuesta en 43 hogares de tres comunidades. Los resultados evidencian una tasa de adopción de 70%, permitiendo identificar las características que contribuyen a la aceptación de las estufas y a su uso de manera sostenida.

KEYWORDS:

• Civil society – NGOs
• Aid – Monitoring and Evaluation
• Latin America and the Caribbean

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

James Keese is a Professor of Geography in the Social Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA.

Alejandra Camacho is a student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA.

Aurora Chavez is a student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA.

Notes

1. In other countries and world regions, the traditional open fire stove may be made using stones, and thus sometimes referred to as a “three-stone fire”. These devices are in effect the stoves for millions of poor households in developing countries.

2. Proworld Service Corps was purchased by San Francisco-based Intrax in 2013. In 2015, Intrax divested Proworld, which then became a Peruvian-based NGO.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Cal Poly Latin American Studies Program and the College of Liberal Arts.