Understanding Technology Adoption: The Case of Improved Cook Stoves in Bunga, Central Uganda

Abstract: Promoters of improved cook stove technologies (ICS) argue that the use of these technologies offers several benefits such as improved health, fuel saving, reduction in green house gases emissions among others. Many of the studies exploring the use of improved cook stoves reveal a strong pro-diffusion bias towards these benefits, and few studies have investigated the adoption and use of ICS from the adopter’s point of view. This qualitative case study therefore attempted to understand the perceived factors that explicitly or implicitly influence the adoption (or not) of Improved cook stoves at household level by listening to potential ICS users. From the study, it was evident that adoption and sustained use of cook stoves is complex and it necessities consideration of a wide range of factors which mutually the influence house hold decision to adopt (or not) an improved cook stove. Consequently, this study emphasized the need for those promoting ICS to have a deeper understanding of the context in which potential adopters are part, and gain insight into the complex factors that govern behavior and provide a basis for doing things in a certain way, in order to ensure adoption and sustained use of ICSs and thereby realize it’s associated long term benefits.