Women’s Work and Household Energy Use in Rural India: Changing Equilibrium Outcomes by Targeting Demand and supply of women’s labor

Despite the well-known health and time-saving benefits, adoption of clean cooking fuels remains low in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This is surprising, as many governments subsidize cleaner fuels and reducing time spent on firewood collection could allow women to work and contribute to household income. Our study, a cluster-randomized control trial (RCT) in rural Gujarat, India, examines this issue through a cooking gas subsidy program, PMUY, which reaches 100 million low-income households. We test two interventions: (1) providing households with information on utilizing LPG subsidies to reduce cooking time (supply-side) and (2) offering women piece-rate digital jobs (demand-side). A third intervention combines both. By targeting women with some education, who nonetheless spend 24+ hours weekly on solid fuel-based cooking, we explore if reducing time spent on cooking paired with job opportunities can facilitate a shift to cleaner fuels. This project aligns with Kellogg’s focus on human development, aiming to enhance women’s economic opportunities and household health through energy transitions.