Factors Influencing Household Cooking Fuel Choice in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

There is heavy dependence on biomass fuels like firewood and charcoal which contribute to deforestation in Ghana. In Ghana, a majority of households (34.1%) use charcoal for their cooking needs. Others also use other types of cooking fuel like LPG. However, many households use a particular type of cooking fuel based on many reasons, including the price of cooking fuel and household average income. Therefore, this study sought to identify factors influencing household cooking fuel choice, specifically in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality. This study adopted a cross-sectional design to examine relationships between variables and a quantitative method approach was employed in the collection of primary data. A questionnaire was administered to 246 households in the Municipality. Data obtained from the field was coded and analyzed using STATA software. The study discovered that LPG was the most desired cooking fuel among households in the municipality. Also, the study revealed age, family size, educational level, age of household head, price of fuel, and indoor air pollution as the statistically significant factors that influence households’ choice of cooking fuel in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality. The analysis of the study helped make some recommendations such as subsidization of LPG prices, public education on the effects of the various cooking fuels, as well as free distribution of cylinders and burners to help achieve the SDG Goal 7, which seeks to achieve widespread access to affordable and reliable energy by the year 2030. It will also contribute to Ghana’s goal of transitioning 50% of households to the use of relatively clean cooking fuels such as LPG and biogas.