History of Improved Cooking Stove (ICS) development Programme in Nepal dates back to 1950s with the introduction of some Indian models. Since then, a number of Improved Cooking Stove Programs (ICSPs) have been promoted in rural communities of Nepal. A variety of stove designs with different dissemination strategies were introduced both by His Majesty Government of Nepal and the I/NGO's.

Over the years, a considerable number of I/NGOs, CBOs, bi- and multilateral donor organizations have been involved in stove dissemination based on different strategies and with different results.  During 1980s, interest and efforts were revived when the National Planning Commission included ICS, in its Five Year Plan, in an attempt to address the increasing growing fuel wood problem. The government's concern for fuel wood conservation was also reflected with the inclusion of ICS dissemination efforts as an important component of FAO assisted Community Forestry Development Project (CFDP) in 1981. 

To complement these efforts, National ICS Programme has been initiated with the support of Energy Sector Assistance Programme (ESAP) of DANIDA, which is being implemented through Alternate Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC). Similarly, Networking of ICS promotion organizations have also been undertaken with the support of Asia Regional Cook-stove Programme (ARECOP). In this initiative, Centre for Rural Technology (CRT/N) in cooperation with various GOs, NGOs is coordinating Network strengthening activities. AEPC, the government agency, is supporting to further strengthen the Network activities.

Over 120,000 ICSs have already been built by end of Dec. 2004 in ESAP phase I and the observation is that there is a tremendous and growing demand for these ICSs.