The Role Of Women In The Dissemination Of The Kabale Stove In Uganda

摘要

Uganda is a landlocked country covering an area of 236,580km2 located in East Africa. The country has vast energy resources including hydro, solar, biomass, geothermal, wind in some areas, and, oil which is still under exploration. Biomass is the major source of energy supplying 92% of total energy consumption. Out of this 15% is wood charcoal used in most urban and peri-urban households for cooking. The traditional metal stove, with an efficiency of 10-24%, was the main stove used in the 1980’s and the Kabale stove was then confined to Kabale district. Since the Kabale stove was considered to be a traditional stove it was considered inefficient. However, tests carried out on this stove show that it has an efficiency of 29% and fuel saving capacity of 35-40%. In the 1990’s support was given to Usika crafts to promote the Kenyan Ceramic Stove, which has an efficiency of 30%. Black Power and YWCA, a women’s NGO, also invested heavily in production of ceramic lined stoves similar to the KCJ, with an efficiency of 33%. By the end of the 1990’s there were over 10 stove producers in Kampala, Entebbe and a few in Jinja, the largest cities in the country. Stove production was then a male dominated activity. Today stove production has dropped to less than 1,200 units a year compared to total installed capacity of over 3,000 per annum. Instead the little known Kabale stove, which is produced by women potters, has found a niche in most urban and peri-urban households across the country. Apart from its low cost compared to the Kenyan Ceramic Jiko it is easier to light and as indicated above it is more efficient than the traditional metal stove. This paper examines the factors, which have lead to the widespread dissemination of the Kabale stove with no external support. The paper makes recommendations for further dissemination of this stove to northern and eastern Uganda.