Determinants of Cooking Energy Consumption among Farming Households in Owerri Agricultural Zone, Imo State, Nigeria (Published)
The 7th goal of UN Sustainable Development Goals targets ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. The study investigated the determinants of cooking energy consumption among farming households in Owerri Agricultural Zone, Imo State. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select seventy-two respondents for the study. Questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordered probit analysis. The result showed that the average age of the farmers, household size, and years of farming experience were 49.4years, 8 persons, and 20 years respectively. Majorities (73.62% and 97.23%) of the respondents were females and married. The revealed preferences of the households for cooking energy material in the study area were fuel wood (70.83%), kerosene (23.61%) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (5.56%). Empirical results from the marginal effects after the ordered probit analysis indicates that sex and household’s income are the major determinants of cooking energy choice. It is recommended that measures aimed at increasing household’s income levels should be put in place by the government and the development of affordable, modern and cleaner cooking energy materials to reduce the negative effect of fuel wood use on the environment should be promoted.
Keywords: Consumption, Cooking Energy, Farming Households, Fuel Wood, Preference