Cooking Fuel Usage in Sub-Saharan Urban Households

Ting Meng, Wojciech J. Florkowski, Daniel B. Sarpong, Manjeet Chinnan and Anna V. A. Resurreccion
Additional contact information
Wojciech J. Florkowski: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, USA
Daniel B. Sarpong: Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon Accra P.O. Box LG 25, Ghana
Manjeet Chinnan: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, USA
Anna V. A. Resurreccion: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, USA

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: This study models the frequency use of wood, charcoal, liquid gas, electricity, and kerosene in urban households in Ghana and supplements the literature on cooking fuel choices. The modeling is based on survey data collected in several major Ghanaian cities. Survey results indicate that charcoal and liquid gas are frequently used in meal preparation, while the frequency use of firewood, kerosene, and electricity is limited. Frequency use is estimated using the ordered probit technique. Five cooking fuel use equations identify income, socio-demographic characteristics, and location of urban residents as influencing the frequency use. Statistically significant effects measure probability changes in each of the four fuel categories. Income and education increase the probability of often or very often of using liquid gas or electricity to cook. The effect of being employed by the government is similar but less consistent. Age, household size, and marital status are linked to frequency use, but differently affect specific fuels. As the number of children or adults increases in a household, so does the probability of using firewood or charcoal, but this also increases the probability that such households never use liquid gas or electricity for cooking. Regional differences indicate Tamale residents heavily rely on wood and charcoal, and infrequently use liquid gas or electricity. Multiple cooking fuel use behavior may reflect risk aversion to fuel shortages. Increasing incomes and improving education will drive the probability of an increased use of cleaner cooking fuels and decreased use of fuel mixes, benefiting meal preparers’ health and the environment.

Keywords: cooking fuel choice; survey; ordered probit; probability change; income; location keyword (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/15/4629/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/15/4629/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:15:p:4629-:d:605216

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().