Assessing the performance and user perspectives of improved cookstove designs in the Rhino refugee settlement, West Nile region of Uganda

Abstract

Improved cookstoves (ICS) are widely promoted as a clean cooking solution due to their potential to reduce fuel consumption and household air pollution. However, evidence on their long-term performance and sustained user acceptance remains limited, particularly in humanitarian settings. This study assessed the two-year technical performance and user perspectives of improved cookstove designs in Rhino Refugee Settlement, North-western Uganda, with the aim of informing clean cooking policies, technical guidelines, and implementation strategies. A mixed-methods research design was applied, combining laboratory-based performance testing with household surveys and focus group discussions. Thermal efficiency and emissions of particulate matter (PM₂ .₅ ) and carbon monoxide (CO) were evaluated for 36 cookstoves, including 12 baseline units and 24 stoves that had been in use for one to two years across four models, following ISO 19867-1 protocols using a Laboratory Emissions Monitoring System (LEMS). User perspectives were collected from 380 households through a structured questionnaire and 12 focus group discussions conducted across four settlement zones. Results indicated that thermal efficiency declined across all cookstove models over the two- year period, with significant differences between models (F = 129.94, p < 0.001). Performance changes were driven mainly by operational conditions, fuel type, and stove design rather than stove age alone. Emissions of PM₂ .₅ and CO generally increased with prolonged use, although trends varied across models, with the highest increases observed in dual-fuel stoves. User analysis showed that frequent fuel addition, longer cooking times, and firewood stove use were associated with higher dissatisfaction, while charcoal stoves demonstrated higher acceptance. Although most users reported satisfaction with reduced smoke emissions, high upfront costs and poor durability significantly reduced overall satisfaction. The study concludes that sustained adoption of improved cookstoves depends not only on initial efficiency and emission reductions but also on affordability, durability, and ease of use. Strengthening performance standards, improving stove design and repairability, and expanding affordable financing mechanisms are critical for long-term clean cooking success in refugee and low-income settings