The Cambodian Biodigester Programme is carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia with technical assistance of Netherlands Development Organisation SNV. Hivos developed the carbon credits of the program under the WWF endorsed Gold Standard.
The income of the sales of the Gold Standard credits enable the implementation of the program. Household scale bio-digesters is a valuable technology that, apart from providing clean cooking fuel for Cambodian families, provides gas for lighting, eliminates smoke from the kitchen, reduces health problems and produces fertile organic slurry used in agriculture. The digesters save costs on fuel and reduce the workload in collecting firewood. Furthermore, biogas replaces ever scarcer traditional wood fuel and reduces deforestation. As a result, the use of biogas reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Former situation
Many Cambodians do not have access to gas and electricity, especially in rural areas where almost 12 million, of the 14 million inhabitants are living. Before the small-scale biogas plants were installed, families would cook their meals over a wood fire. Cooking over wood is expensive, unhealthy, time consuming and bad for the environment.
Current situation
More than 10.000 farming families in Cambodia started cooking on biogas supplied by their own cattle and pigs. They are realizing significant savings in the costs of firewood, petroleum and batteries –money which can instead be put towards school fees, food and investments in their farming business. Furthermore a new sector for biogas entrepreneurs and masons is flourishing. Women point out that “cooking with gas is much faster”. The farmers are also happy with the residual product: “The slurry is a good fertilizer for our rice and vegetables”.
Technology
Livestock manure is collected and put into the biogas plant. Inside the plant the manure is “eaten” by bacteria resulting in biogas . This biogas is piped to a stove in the adjacent house where it is used for cooking. The digested livestock manure (“slurry”) is a potent organic fertilizer.
Results
The average annual emission reductions per biogas plant is 4,79 ton CO2. A bio digester of 5 cubic meters produces enough gas for cooking for a family of five.
Benefits
Biogas plants generate
• Convenient and clean cooking fuel
• Time savings in wood collection by women
• Employment in biogas construction
• Improved agricultural production through use of bio slurry
• Reduction indoor air pollution
• Improved sanitation on the farm
• Reduced deforestation
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
About Hivos
A fair, free and sustainable world – that is what Hivos wants to contribute to. Together with more than 650 local organisations in over 26 developing countries, Hivos strives for a world in which all citizens – both men and women – have equal access to resources and opportunities for development. www.hivos.nl.