Search

Wood fuel remains the most widely used domestic fuel amongst resource poor groups in many low-income countries, despite the environmental and health problems associated with exposure to wood smoke. Studies on household air pollution concentrate predominately on socio-economic and behavioural factors and health with little emphasis on socio-cultural factors. The study contributes to the understanding of household air pollution (HAP) and wood fuel harvesting for domestic activities in low-income countries from a cultural perspective that draws on householders’ wood fuel selection and cooking practices in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. In this paper, we explore how cultural norms influence households’ cooking practices, energy choices and perceptions of the causes of ill health and misfortune. The research draws on household surveys, participant observation and semi-structured interviews with householders of four different ethnic origins in nineteen villages. Key findings reveal low levels of awareness of HAP-related illness coupled with high levels of attachment to traditional biomass-fuelled cooking systems for a range of cultural and pragmatic reasons. It is argued that ‘ethnic-specific’ traditional norms and taboos provide a more important influence on fuel choice, wood fuel harvesting and cooking practices than the lived realities of exposure to household air pollution.

Many households in developing countries rely on biomass (wood, charcoal, agricultural wastes, sawdust, and animal dung) and coal to meet their energy needs. The burning of these fuels in open fires creates environmental problems one of which is indoor air pollution (IAP). For effective reduction of indoor air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa, it is therefore, important to understand factors that determine the choice and uptake of cleaner fuels for household energy use. This research investigates the salient factors influencing households in developing countries in choosing fuel types, using the households in peri-urban areas of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria as a case study. This research used holistic approaches to understand energy issues in the study area and used methods such as questionnaires, interviews, and field observation during data collection. Key findings suggest that underlying socio-cultural contexts of households’ ethnic groups guided wood-fuel harvesting in the peri-urban areas of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Wood fuel continues to be households’ main domestic energy source irrespective of their socio-economic status. The open burning of wood fuel causes indoor air pollution as the recorded 24-hour particulate matter levels was between 42µg/m3 – 275µg/m3 for indoor kitchens and 48µg/m3 – 648µg/m3 for outdoor kitchens. The cultural perception of the households that natural aeration blows particulates into buildings hinders them from believing that the open of burning of biomass fuels for domestic activities is the cause of indoor air pollution. Based on the findings of this study, it is argued that the traditional norms and values of the householders, being embedded in their socio-cultural contexts, are vital for understanding energy issues in the global South.

Wood fuel remains the most widely used domestic fuel amongst resource poor groups in many low-income countries, despite the environmental and health problems associated with exposure to wood smoke. Studies on household air pollution concentrate predominately on socio-economic and behavioural factors and health with little emphasis on socio-cultural factors. The study contributes to the understanding of household air pollution (HAP) and wood fuel harvesting for domestic activities in low-income countries from a cultural perspective that draws on householders’ wood fuel selection and cooking practices in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. In this paper, we explore how cultural norms influence households’ cooking practices, energy choices and perceptions of the causes of ill health and misfortune. The research draws on household surveys, participant observation and semi-structured interviews with householders of four different ethnic origins in nineteen villages. Key findings reveal low levels of awareness of HAP-related illness coupled with high levels of attachment to traditional biomass-fuelled cooking systems for a range of cultural and pragmatic reasons. It is argued that ‘ethnic-specific’ traditional norms and taboos provide a more important influence on fuel choice, wood fuel harvesting and cooking practices than the lived realities of exposure to household air pollution.

Many households in developing countries rely on biomass (wood, charcoal, agricultural wastes, sawdust, and animal dung) and coal to meet their energy needs. The burning of these fuels in open fires creates environmental problems one of which is indoor air pollution (IAP). For effective reduction of indoor air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa, it is therefore, important to understand factors that determine the choice and uptake of cleaner fuels for household energy use. This research investigates the salient factors influencing households in developing countries in choosing fuel types, using the households in peri-urban areas of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria as a case study. This research used holistic approaches to understand energy issues in the study area and used methods such as questionnaires, interviews, and field observation during data collection. Key findings suggest that underlying socio-cultural contexts of households’ ethnic groups guided wood-fuel harvesting in the peri-urban areas of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Wood fuel continues to be households’ main domestic energy source irrespective of their socio-economic status. The open burning of wood fuel causes indoor air pollution as the recorded 24-hour particulate matter levels was between 42µg/m3 – 275µg/m3 for indoor kitchens and 48µg/m3 – 648µg/m3 for outdoor kitchens. The cultural perception of the households that natural aeration blows particulates into buildings hinders them from believing that the open of burning of biomass fuels for domestic activities is the cause of indoor air pollution. Based on the findings of this study, it is argued that the traditional norms and values of the householders, being embedded in their socio-cultural contexts, are vital for understanding energy issues in the global South.

Wood fuel remains the most widely used domestic fuel amongst resource poor groups in many low-income countries, despite the environmental and health problems associated with exposure to wood smoke. Studies on household air pollution concentrate predominately on socio-economic and behavioural factors and health with little emphasis on socio-cultural factors. The study contributes to the understanding of household air pollution (HAP) and wood fuel harvesting for domestic activities in low-income countries from a cultural perspective that draws on householders’ wood fuel selection and cooking practices in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. In this paper, we explore how cultural norms influence households’ cooking practices, energy choices and perceptions of the causes of ill health and misfortune. The research draws on household surveys, participant observation and semi-structured interviews with householders of four different ethnic origins in nineteen villages. Key findings reveal low levels of awareness of HAP-related illness coupled with high levels of attachment to traditional biomass-fuelled cooking systems for a range of cultural and pragmatic reasons. It is argued that ‘ethnic-specific’ traditional norms and taboos provide a more important influence on fuel choice, wood fuel harvesting and cooking practices than the lived realities of exposure to household air pollution.

Wood fuel remains the most widely used domestic fuel amongst resource poor groups in many low-income countries, despite the environmental and health problems associated with exposure to wood smoke. Studies on household air pollution concentrate predominately on socio-economic and behavioural factors and health with little emphasis on socio-cultural factors. The study contributes to the understanding of household air pollution (HAP) and wood fuel harvesting for domestic activities in low-income countries from a cultural perspective that draws on householders’ wood fuel selection and cooking practices in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. In this paper, we explore how cultural norms influence households’ cooking practices, energy choices and perceptions of the causes of ill health and misfortune. The research draws on household surveys, participant observation and semi-structured interviews with householders of four different ethnic origins in nineteen villages. Key findings reveal low levels of awareness of HAP-related illness coupled with high levels of attachment to traditional biomass-fuelled cooking systems for a range of cultural and pragmatic reasons. It is argued that ‘ethnic-specific’ traditional norms and taboos provide a more important influence on fuel choice, wood fuel harvesting and cooking practices than the lived realities of exposure to household air pollution.