PERFORMANCE OF IMPROVED CHULAS IN SELECTED HOUSEHOLDS OF MOGULLAVAMPU VILLAGE, RANGA REDDY DISTRICT, A.P.
Loading...
Files
Date
1989
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ACHARYA NG RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, RAJENDRANAGAR HYDERABAD
Abstract
Increasing scarcity of wood and inefficient
cooking devices have led to the design, development and
dissemination of improved chulas in India. The present
study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of
improved chulas with the following objectives.
1. To compare the performance of improved chulas
with traditional chulas in ter.ms of fuel
consumption
2. To determine the time taken for cooking and
convenience of operation with im~roved chulas
3 .. To evaluate the performance and adoption of
improved chulas by farm family category
In Mogullavampu village, Ranga Reddy district,
Andhra Pradesh, a base line survey of household energy
consumption was conducted under an ICAR Co-ordinated
Research Project. Subsequently, improved chulas were
installed in 36 households. For the present study the
36 households using the improved chulas (29 fixed model,
7 portable model) were selected as the sample. Fuel
consumption for cooking was determined by weighrnent.
This was compared with the data obtained from the
earlier survey. Time and motion study for cooking was
done in a sub-sample of six households representing
different socio-economic categories.
There was a 19.5 per cent decrease in ~uel
consu'mption after introducing the fixed model improved
chulas. This decrease was highest (32.9%) for
Marginal farmer households and least (6.7%) for Medium
farmer households. The estimated average energy saving
in terms of fuel wood equivalent was 281 kg/household/
year.
In the households using portable model
improved chulas the totalĀ· fuel energy used for cooking
decreased by 27.74 per cent. The estimated energy saving
per annum was 501 kg firewood/household/year. The
decreases in fuel consumption were found to be
significant for the Small farmers, all hou~eholds using
the fixed chula. and for the households using the
portable improved chulas.
From the time and motion study it was found
that the correlation coefficient was significant between
the time taken for cooking and the 'other operations'
which preceeded cooking. Similarly the correlation
coefficient for the total operations and the time taken
for cooking was also significant. In the Large farmers
kitchen.the time taken for cooking and the other operations
were maximum (3.7 hours and 88 operations
respectively); while they were minimum in the Non
farmers kitchen (2.5 hours and 27 operations
respectively). Quantity of food cooked had an influence
on 'other operations' such as cutting, kneading, mixing
etc. To and fro movements were influenced by the
location of kitchen work centres. The maximum number of
movements (68) were observed in the Small farmer's
kitchen. where both storage and washing centres were
located outside the kitchen.
Aboqt 97 per cent households were using the
fixed model im~roved chula regularly. In most of the
houses. the second pot seat was used effectively for
food preparation as well as heating water and milk.
Plastering was done daily in 89.7 per cent households.
The chimney was not cleaned in 48.3 per cent households
since installation. The benefits ranked by the users
in the order of priority were 'smoke less work areaJ .
reduced soot' on vessels'J 'saving of timeJ and
'saving of fueY .
All households using the portable chula
re~orted the advantages of easy lighting, portability,
reduced fuel consumption and saving of time. The disadvantages
reported were inconvenience in kindling the
fuel. smoke emission and soot formation.
The high level of adoption and recorded fuel
savings indicated the positive response to improved
chulas from users in the village.
Description
Keywords
PERFORMANCE, IMPROVED, CHULAS, SELECTED, HOUSEHOLDS, MOGULLAVAMPU,