The determinants of rural women's decision-making on adopting improved cook-stoves to diversify livelihood strategies in Busega District, Tanzania
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Date
2023
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Publisher
Tanzanian Institutes of Development Studies
Abstract
This article examines the determinants influencing the decision-making process of rural women in Busega District, Tanzania, regarding the adoption of improved cook-stoves and livelihood strategies diversification. The sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA) was adopted to explain key variables of the study. A crosssectional research design was applied to collect data from 210 rural women through a household survey. Findings show that 71.43% of the respondents preferred to use improved cook-stoves, but only 23.33% managed to adopt them; while 28.57% showed disinterest due to past accidents of kerosine stove explosions (mindsets). Price fluctuation (seasonality) emerged as the primary determinant affecting the decision to adopt improved cook-stoves; acknowledged by 96.19% of the rural women. A t-test (p-value 0.00 at p-value 0.05) analysis revealed a significant difference in food preparation hours between women with and without improved cook-stoves, indicating their positive impact. Moreover, excessive time spent on gathering firewood and cooking hindered 76.67% of rural women from effective participation in livelihood strategies diversification. In conclusion, mindsets and seasonality were the key determinants influencing rural women’s decisions on adopting improved cook-stoves. The article recommends for community development officers to empower rural women and address these determinants to facilitate informed decision-making on the adoption of improved cook-stoves to save time for livelihood strategies diversification.
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Full-text is also available at https://www.ajol.info/index.php/tjds/article/view/258419
Keywords
Adoption, Decision-making, Cook-stoves, livelihood strategies
Citation
Ngusa, D. A. (2023). The Determinants of Rural Women's Decision-Making On Adopting Improved Cook-stoves to Diversify Livelihood Strategies in Busega District, Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Development Studies, 21(1).