Fuel Efficient Technology Adoption In Ethiopia: Evidence From Improved “Mirt” Stove Technology: A Case In Selected Kebeles From “Adea” Wereda

Abstract

The increasing scarcity of biomass and the increment of the number of people who use biomass, particularly firewood, threaten the capability of the country even to maintain the already existing low income and living standard of the people. Therefore, the need for adopting improved “Mirt” stove technology not only enables the households to use fuel efficiently, but it will enable them to curb the problems caused by using traditional and open fire stoves as well as biomass energy related problems. It can also mitigate the impacts on the users’ health, the overall environment and natural resources brought by using those traditional and open fire stoves.
With two estimated equations, that is information and adoption equation. This study result reveals that improvement in socio economic conditions of the people have positive impact on information acquisition and access in urban and rural households. Moreover, the result supports the “energy Ladder” hypothesis as theoretical and functional useful framework to explain the fuel use and improved technology adoption in the study area. The findings also reveal that socio-economic improvement have direct and significant impact on adoption decision. This finding also reinforces the role of government and non-government organizations to play a major role in information diffusion and to enhance the adoption decision of the people to protect the country’s natural resources and to resolve environmental problems that arise due to excessive utilization of biomass resources.

Keywords: improved stove, information, adoption and “energy ladder”