Abstract:
The heavy dependence and inefficient utilization of biomass resources have contributed to the depletion of
forest resources in Ethiopia, while the use of traditional cooking technology has also been linked to indoor
air pollution and poor health. In response, the government and other institutions have pushed for the adoption
of new cooking technologies, with limited success. This research examines the reasons underpinning the
lack of widespread adoption, via duration analysis, correlating the speed of adoption of Mirte and Lakech
cook stoves – two examples of new cooking technologies – in urban Ethiopia to socioeconomic factors.
According to the duration analysis, adoption rates have steadily increased over time, while economic factors,
such as product price, household income and household wealth, are, for the most part, important determinants
of adoption behavior. There is also evidence that the availability of substitute technologies tends to hinder
adoption, and that there are large regional differences in adoption rates, suggesting the need for a more
detailed regional analysis of adoption decisions.
