Direct and indirect income benefits of biogas in rural households: a case study from Lalmatiya VDC of Nepal
Student name: Ms Smita Sharma
Guide: Dr Arabinda Mishra
Year of completion: 2015
Host Organisation: Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC)/ National Rural and Renewable Energy Programme (NRREP), N
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Sushim Man Amatya
Abstract: More than 90% of the population are involved in agriculture, and per capita income is less than US$ 200 in Nepal. Over 90 percent of the energy requirement is met from forestry and agriculture sectors. Any development in domestic energy would contribute nation development by reducing import, biogas technology is one of the reliable alternative energy sources used for cooking and lighting. Accordingly, national biogas programme has been considered one of the most successful programme in Nepal. Biogas is the program registered under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Biogas, a sustainable renewable energy, has positive environmental impacts at local, national and global levels. The study was done in Lalmatiya VDC, Dang-Deukhari District of Nepal. This paper is based on qualitative study which comprised of In-depth interview (IDI), Key informants interview (KII), Focus group discussion (FGD) along with structured interview. This paper tries to analyze the direct and indirect income benefits of rural household from their saving also. From the study it was found that there is significant rise in the income level of rural household due to savings from health expense, use of bio slurry. The reduction in the physical stress in terms of fuel wood collection, cooking and cleaning utensils was remarkable. In the study area, Biogas Households used the time saved in better care of family, maintaining household cleanliness; collection of fodder for livestock, social gathering but alternative income generating activities was highly noticed. Similarly, there is saving from use of kerosene and fuel wood and other house hold related expenses. The sampled households were found using biogas energy except for cooking domestic foods. Even below optimum amount of production of biogas was found sufficient for them. If people feed biogas plants properly and use biogas energy for other activities along with cooking domestic food, the quantity of saving of fuel wood consumption would increase considerably. Biogas technology is thus found to be useful in scaling up the living standards of rural populace. Using local resources to harbor energy, empowers local people and consequently they can focus on other income generating activities. Such RE technology has health benefits, which will keep the economically active population in sound health
