Environmental research

An Integrated Biogas Programme for Environment Conservation and Sustainable Development has been implemented to promote bio-gas in 4 VDCs of Makawanpur district- namely Hatiya, Harnamadi, Churiyamai and Padam Pokhari. The project consists of three main objectives namely 1. To support rural communities in construction of toilet attached bio-gas plants 2. To enhance sustainable livelihood of rural people by supporting them to implement activities related to socio-economic development 3. To enhance the capacities of rural communities and stakeholders in order to effectively addressing global environmental problems These VDCs have huge potential for the biogas for a number of reasons. The climatic condition is favourable for the formation of biogas for cooking purposes as these VDCs lies in sub tropical region. According to the district profile, PDDP, 2002, the total cattle population is large which include 6323 cows, 5196 bulls and 3040 buffaloes. Likewise, a total of 6943 household (82%) uses fuelwood for household use. Thus the project site is not only suitable for biogas but the intervention also help curb the deforestation. The project has mobilised the existing CBOs formed by other UNDP assisted programmes - Participatory Conservation Programme (PCP) and Local Governance Programme (LGP). Out of the four VDCs, Padampokhari and Churiyamai lie in the proposed Bufferzone of Parsa Wildlife Reserve and the project works in co-ordination with PCP. Likewise, in Hatiya, the project works with LGP and in Churiyamai VDC, the project mobilised the CBOs formed by Jana Chetana Co-operatives (JCC). These CBOs have also generated community fund through weekly savings. The project has targeted in formation of 400 bio-gas along with the toilet during the project tenure and emphasised on slurry management to enhance the soil fertility. Up to now 389 (90 bio-gas of 6 cum. capacity and 299 bio-gas of 4 cum. capacity) bio-gas have been constructed and and demand for additional 66 bio-gas has been collected. The project has allocated 70% of the total fund as community environmental trust fund (CETF) to avail loan to community members for the construction of bio-gas. Of the remaining 30% of the budget, 10% is allocated for seed grant for socio-economic development, 10% is for capacity building and remaining 10% is for operation cost. A main committee, comprising members from all the four VDCs, grantee representatives, VDC representatives has been formed and in the process of registration to manage the CETF

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