What indirect benefit of ICS often drives adoption more than fuel cost reduction?

Saving labor time spent gathering fuel

While the financial savings from using less wood or charcoal are a significant factor, the texts indicate that the reduction in human labor required for fuel acquisition often serves as an even more powerful driver for the adoption of Improved Cookstoves (ICS). Because ICS drastically cuts down the required amount of biomass fuel needed per meal—sometimes by half—it directly translates into significantly less time that an individual, frequently a woman or child, must dedicate to the arduous task of gathering that fuel. This reclaimed time, which can be repurposed for education, income generation, or other domestic activities, frequently holds greater perceived value for the user than the simple monetary savings on fuel costs alone.