Determinants of Household Transition of Cooking Fuel in Energy-Rich Peripheries: Evidence from Mozambique

Mozambique possesses significant natural gas resources. Yet, a vast majority of its population relies on solid biomass for cooking, resulting in detrimental effects on health, livelihoods, and productivity, as well as devastating environmental impacts. Domestic use of these resources could boost energy productivity, security and support sustainable development. We conducted a mixed-methods study involving interviews, descriptive statistics, and a multinomial logistic regression model. For this study, data was gathered from a random survey of 434 households in natural gas-rich peripheries within Northern Inhambane and Maputo City aiming to identify determinants of household energy choice for cooking. The results showed that as the income increases, the odds of choosing electricity, LPG, and biomass increase. Notably, in energy-rich peripheries, the odds of choosing biomass as an alternative fuel to natural gas are reduced by 96.2% when compared to non-energy-rich regions. The urban and more educated dwellers were more likely to switch to electricity and LPG. Energy infrastructure and system-related incidents were key reasons for switching away from natural gas to biomass. Based on these findings and given natural gas’s preference as a transition cooking fuel in energy-rich peripheries, the government should prioritize investment in energy systems, allocate more domestic gas, and promote its use. This effort aims to enhance access to clean cooking and raise public awareness of its health and environmental benefits.