Analysis of Household Cooking Fuel Choice in the Municipality of Andranonahoatra, Madagascar

Two rounds of surveys were carried out on a sample of households and all firewood and charcoal sellers inside the municipality. In reference to researches carried out in Madagascar and in other countries, this study verified that: – The vast majority of urban households use charcoal as their main cooking fuel – Many households also adopt one or two complementary fuels – The cleaner and more modern the complementary fuel, the higher the standard of living in the household – High standard of living is not the only one factor on which depends household cooking fuel choice. Choosing modern fuels did not replace traditional fuels – Several socio-economical and technical factors have negative or positive effects on cooking fuel choice. Indeed, the choice for a particular fuel is determined by several exogenous factors, among others, electricity bills, household size, the number of poultry cooking per month, the education level of family members. It is also identified the relationship between the consumption structure and the way charcoal is purchased, use of improved cookstove, and dwelling characteristics. Based on these findings, we try to model the fuel choice made by households in the municipality