Understanding Consumer Preference and Willingness to Pay for Improved Cookstoves in Nepal and corresponding KPT and CCT Tests

The USAID Asia Regional Bureau and Bureau of Global Health provided funding to the WASHplus project to explore consumer reactions to different manufactured, improved cookstoves shown to be efficient in the lab and popular in markets similar to Nepal, in order to make recommendations to the Government of Nepal’s national cookstove program regarding the expansion of the program to include a selection of improved cookstoves (ICS) offered in the country. Specifically, the objectives of this study were to:

1. Elicit desired attributes and benefits of cookstoves (both improved and traditional stoves) from the viewpoint of the poor Nepali consumer

2. Document and compare consumer reactions, including willingness to pay, and consistency of use of five types of improved cookstoves in Nepal

3. Test the efficiency of the improved cookstoves and impact on in-home household fuel use