Traditional cooking practices and preferences for stove features among women in rural Senegal: Informing improved cookstove design and interventions

• Published in: PloS one 2018-11, Vol.13 (11), p.e0206822-e0206822
• Main Authors: Hooper, Laura G, Dieye, Yakou, Ndiaye, Assane, Diallo, Aldiouma, Sack, Coralynn S, Fan, Vincent S, Neuzil, Kathleen M, Ortiz, Justin R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Air pollution; Air Pollution, Indoor - adverse effects; Air Pollution, Indoor - prevention & control; Asthma; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomass energy; Burning; Combustion; Combustion efficiency; Consumer Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Cooking; Cooking - instrumentation; Cooking - statistics & numerical data; Design improvements; Earth Sciences; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Engineering and Technology; Environmental effects; Family Characteristics; Female; Fires - statistics & numerical data; Fossil Fuels - adverse effects; Fossil Fuels - statistics & numerical data; Health surveillance; Heat generation; Heating; Household Articles - statistics & numerical data; Households; Humans; Indoor air; Indoor air pollution; Indoor environments; Internet; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Ovens & stoves; People and Places; Perceptions; Physical Sciences; Pollution control; Propane; Public health; Rural areas; Rural communities; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Senegal; Smoke; Smoke - adverse effects; Smoke - prevention & control; Social Sciences; Solid fuels; Stoves; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires - statistics & numerical data; Sustainable use; Technology adoption; Time Factors; Womens health
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206822

Nearly half the world's population burns solid fuel for cooking, heating, and lighting. The incomplete combustion of these fuels is associated with detrimental health and environmental effects. The design and distribution of improved cookstoves that increase combustion efficiency and reduce indoor air pollution are a global priority. However, promoting exclusive and sustainable use of the improved stoves has proved challenging. In 2012, we conducted a survey in a community in rural Senegal to describe stove ownership and preferences for different stove technologies. This report aims to describe local stove and fuel use, to identify household preferences related to stove features and function, and to elicit the community perceptions of cleaner-burning stove alternatives with a focus on liquid propane gas. Similar to many resource-limited settings, biomass fuel use was ubiquitous and multiple stoves were used, even when cleaner burning alternatives were available; less than 1% of households that owned a liquid propane stove used it as the primary cooking device. Despite nearly universal use of the traditional open fire (92% of households), women did not prefer this stove when presented with other options. Propane gas, solar, and improved cookstoves were all viewed as more desirable when compared to the traditional open fire, however first-hand experience and knowledge of these stoves was limited. The stove features of greatest value were, in order: large cooking capacity, minimal smoke production, and rapid heating. Despite the low desirability and smoke emisions from the traditional open fire, its pervasive use, even in the presence of alternative stove options, may be related to its ability to satisfy the practical needs of the surveyed cooks, namely large cooking capacity and rapid, intense heat generation. Our data suggest women in this community want alternative stove options that reduce smoke exposure, however currently available stoves, including liquid propane gas, do not address all of the cooks' preferences.