The journey to clean cooking: Insights from Kenya and Zambia

This research paper examines the transition to advanced cookstoves in Kenya and Zambia, distinguishing between the motivations for initial purchase and the factors that ensure long-term adoption. While financial accessibility, fuel savings, and aesthetic appeal drive initial sales, the study finds that actual adoption depends on the stove's performance and the availability of post-purchase support. The authors recommend hands-on trials, high-quality manuals, and consistent fuel quality to prevent users from abandoning the technology.

• The primary motivations for purchasing advanced cookstoves are the desire to save money or fuel, increased convenience (such as time savings and reduced smoke for indoor use), and the aesthetic and aspirational appeal of modern technology.
• Financial accessibility is a critical barrier to entry; in the studied locations, wholesalers facilitated adoption by acting as financial enablers and offering instalment payment plans.
• There is a gap between the motivation to buy and the motivation to actually adopt the stove for long-term use. While marketing and aesthetics drive sales, long-term retention depends on whether the stove works as expected, and users often experience frustration if they discover limitations only after purchase because they were not allowed to handle the stoves during demonstrations.
• To ensure successful habit formation and prevent abandonment, the study recommends interventions including hands-on trials before purchase, comprehensive user manuals with pictures, and the establishment of trusting, long-term relationships between sales agents and users through follow-up visits.

APA

Jürisoo, M., & Lambe, F. (2016). The journey to clean cooking: Insights from Kenya and Zambia. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WP-2016-13-User-journey-to-clean-cooking-summary.pdf

Chicago

Jürisoo, Marie, and Fiona Lambe. The journey to clean cooking: Insights from Kenya and Zambia. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2016. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WP-2016-13-User-journey-to-clean-cooking-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jürisoo |first1=Marie |last2=Lambe |first2=Fiona |title=The journey to clean cooking: Insights from Kenya and Zambia |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2016 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WP-2016-13-User-journey-to-clean-cooking-summary.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jrisoo2016journey, author = {Jürisoo, Marie and Lambe, Fiona}, title = {{The journey to clean cooking: Insights from Kenya and Zambia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2016}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WP-2016-13-User-journey-to-clean-cooking-summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }