Stoves with improved efficiency have been introduced in developing countries since 1970. While the focus
initially lay on fuel savings and the main concern was deforestation, it is nowadays recognised that a stove
programme can and should include a variety of benefits for the stove users, producers, and the environment.
In the light of this change, this thesis serves to analyse the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the
Tsotso Stove in Northern Namibia. A system dynamics approach was further used to gain a holistic view
of the connections between the stoves, households and the environment. To create a valid, representative
conceptual model, a pre-survey was conducted. Based on this model, 32 households were interviewed. From
these interviews, five parameters were derived: effect on deforestation, time savings, effect on health, effect
on budget and cooking satisfaction. The results show that the way the stove is used and thus also its impact
varies significantly between households. While on average the stove is used 1.6 times per day, the minimum
was only about 0.15 times and the maximum 5 times per day. Concerning the environmental performance,
the calculations suggest that the wood savings that can be achieved are significant. Nevertheless, improved
stoves should be embedded in a wider strategy in the fight against deforestation. From a system dynamics
perspective, the stove is important, for it gives the households another option besides a switch to dung as
fuel when firewood becomes scarce. Concerning the socio-economic impact, the households that use the
stove continuously throughout the year profit the most from it. The biggest benefits are time-savings, which,
on average, account to 15 minutes per day. For households that buy fuelwood, money savings can be as
high as 100 US$ per month, while the average is around 9 US$. The effect on health is difficult to evaluate,
but this study suggests a positive impact, mainly due to an increase in safety. Finally, the survey results
indicate that the Tsotso Stove has better handling properties than the traditional stove. As a main result,
this thesis shows that the Tsotso Stove has a positive environmental impact, whose significance is limited
due to the low dissemination level, and a beneficial socio-economic impact, that varies greatly between
household.