Determinants of household traditional fuel demand for cooking in tigray, ethiopia: the case of maichew town

This study investigates households’ traditional fueldemand for cooking and, their determinants in Tigray: the case of Maichew Town. The results were estimated using the binarprobit model. Traditional fuel was by far the most dominant source of cooking fuel for the households surveyed in the town. Traditional fuel such as firewood, animal residue, crop residue and charcoal were the main source of cooking in the study area used by 71.25% of the households surveyed. The findings of the study also provide support to the energy ladder hypothesis that household income is a major determinant of household fuel demand. Furthermore, socio-economic and demographic factors like household head’s education, sex of the household head, age of the household head, house type, and occupancy status and responsibility of cooking were key determinants of traditional cooking fuel demand. The researcher, thus recommend intensification of income poverty reduction programs to improve households’ incomes, educational status and awareness. The benefits of such a policy is to move majority of households towards the upper levels of the energy ladder. This then implies a move away from over dependence on traditional fuels, which will be compatible with the energy strategic policy of Ethiopia, to more efficient, clean and modern energy sources.