Mali
Informative inefficiencies and social networks in the decision to adopt efficient and more healthy cookstoves: experimental evidence from Mali
The project investigates the issue of energy poverty and access to modern and healthy cookstoves in Mali. Over 95% of Malian urban population use solid fuels for cooking, only 6% have access to clean fuels and less than 0.5% of the population use improved biomass cookstoves. It has been estimated that 15,300 deaths per year are caused by indoor air pollution (Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves).
In collaboration with the French NGO GERES, we identified an improved charcoal cookstove, the “Fourneau Seiwa”. In the last years, GERES supported and supervised the value chain of the product and certified its advantages with laboratory test: “Fourneau Seiwa” allows to save up to 30% of charcoal with beneficial consequences on household saving, exposure to indoor air pollution and emissions. The price (4000 FCFA) is higher than traditional charcoal cookstoves (2500-3000 FCFA), however it can be recovered in three months of full usage, due to saving in charcoal. The product is available at local markets, however its uptake is quite low.
The purposes of the study are to investigate the barriers which impede the purchase, adoption and usage of improved cooking technologies and to assess its impact on households and women welfare. In particular we analyze:
1. Role of group decisions and social networks: What is the effect of the group (peer effects) at the moment of taking decisions on improved technology adoption? Is there evidence of bandwagon effects?
2. Role of informational barriers: to what extent presenting the product and its advantages increases the uptake?
3 Role of spillover effects: to what extent observing for longtime people who adopted the new product in.uences the decision to purchase?
4 Impact of improved cookstoves on household welfare: what is the effect of purchase on usage, fuel expenditure, time allocation, health conditions and saving at household level?
Media coverage:
Via Romagnosi (Fondazione Feltrinelli)