Environmental research

This project is designed to link bio-gas, slurry, vermicomposting, agroforestry and practicing improved livestock farming. The project is implemented in two VDCs of two districts- Methinkot VDC of Kanvepalanchowk and Gagalephedi of Kathmandu district of Central Development Region. The project has aimed to promote adoption of energy conservation and energy efficient technologies particularly bio-gas in the project areas. Of the two VDCs, Methinkot lies adjacent to Shivapuri Wildlife National Park and in the outskirts of the Kathmandu valley. Though this VDC is near to Kathmandu, the VDC lags way behind in basic facilities. As the place is immediate foot hills of Shivapuri watershed area, which is the major catchement area of the river Bagmati and Manohara, the site is major drainage to these river systems of the Kathmandu valley. The VDC lies in lower Temperate Zone and inhabits a total of 1004 household (VDC profile). The forest type mainly consists of Schima wallichii, Alnus nepalensis and Pinus roxburghii. Baseline data shows there are 1233 cattle, which indicates the potentiality of the biogas. Methinkot VDC is 52 Km away from Kathmandu and lies in sub tropical to lower Temperate Climatic Zone. With a tolal of 858 Hh and pupulation size 4686, the VDC is rich in forest resources. The major species are Shorea robusta, Schima wallichii, Alnus nepalensis and Pinus roxburghii. The larger number of cattle population (1425) showed the greater potentiality of the biogas. The project worked closely with Participatory District Development Programme (PDDP), other UNDP assisted Programme in the VDC where, CBO formation incorporating at least 80% of Hh in the settlement, livestock insurance practice at farmers level have already been initiated through the intervention of PDDP. This encourages the farmers to productive livestock rearing. In both the VDCs, there is larger population of local breed cattle, which are less productive. The project targets at constructing 400 biogas with attached toilet. Likewise these houses would also initiate vermicomposting using the kitchen waste.

Nepal