Publications

A Firm-Level Approach to Majority Market Business: Private Sector Mapping (PSM) Project. This publication is the final project report, detailing the Private Sector Mapping activities across 13 countries in the Latin American region.

See also: Inclusive Business at SNV

Design of an R-coefficient for REDD+ benefit distribution systems– the R-coefficient introduces a formula for the delivery of environmental and social co-benefits through the benefit distribution system for REDD+.

Design of an R-coefficient for REDD+ benefit distribution systems– the R-coefficient introduces a formula for the delivery of environmental and social co-benefits through the benefit distribution system for REDD+.

Implementation of a sensible and consistent subsidy policy combined with the development of a liberalized policy and procedures for private sector participation triggered the entry of the private sector in the construction biogas plants.

The quality control aspect is a well-steered programme that has protected the interest of the plant owners and hence elevated the image of the programme to be credible position. Studies have shown that the EIRR is higher than the FIRR, which justifies continuation of the existing subsidy. The impact of the subsidy on increasing the number of plant has been remarkable, but the plan is to phase out subsidy to all sectors. On the financing front, there has been a trend on the proportion of equities-financed plants, however institutionally, the biogas sub-sector cannot be considered as a strong one. Leaving the BSP aside, it remains with three organisations, i.e. AEPC, AEPDF and the NBPG, which have not been able to demonstrate desirable capacity.

The study concludes that the BSP target of installing up to 25,000 plants a year remains doubtful. In order to achieve the achievable, there needs to be some improvement in the existing institutional structure and policy. The study ends with recommendations to Programme for Institutional Capacity Building of the AEPC, Initiate R&D and Introduce Flexibility in the Plant Model, Announce Timeframe for Subsidy, Develop Village Level Masons and Suppliers of Appliances, and Concentrate the Plants so that Service become Cheaper.

The study aims to investigate women’s access to and involvement in biogas and its impact on their lives, and will identify existing constraints which inhibit fuller exploitation of the potentials of RET from gender perspective.

It was found that 17 out of 24 sample has have attached latrine with biogas plant and a significant proportion of joint decision of both men and women has been reported in latrine attachment.

Male played the leading role in management of all phases and the women’s role was more supportive. The program should endeavour maximum participation of women at all stages of management. Unlike at the stage of decision-making, it is interesting that many women are responsible for the operation of biogas. Women have definitely benefited more compared to men. In total women were found to save 66 minutes per day. They have saved significant time in collecting fuel wood, cooking food and washing cooking vessels. Like men counterparts they require more time mixing slurry.

Focus Group Discussion (FGD) revealed that women users perceived easy cooking, smokeless environment and reduced daily workload main benefits. Saving of firewood collection time, avoid noise of kerosene stove, positive impact in health of family members and clean and healthy household environment were other frequently quoted benefits. Biogas users women perceived biogas technology still expensive for general people, as of limited use because it is only used for cooking, and lacks adequate training for maintenance and repair as the main demerits or constraints of biogas installation.

The study aimed to investigate and assess women’s access to and involvement in the biogas and its impact on their lives. The study aimed to identify existing constraints which inhibit fuller exploitation of the potentials of RET from gender perspective. A total 27 biogas users were interviewed from Sanischare, Arjundhara, Charpane, Chandragadhi, Gauradaha and Maharani VDCs.

Although women have significant role in installation of the biogas plant and in taking care of it, men have the leading role and women work as their supporter in the decision making process of biogas installation in general. In order to identify needs of women and deliver them the benefits of the technology, the programme should endeavour maximum participation of women at all stages of management.

Women have definitely benefited more as compared to men. In total women were found to save 49 minutes of time. Women have saved significant time in cooking food, washing cooking vessels and collecting fuel wood in the order of importance. Like men counterparts they require more time mixing slurry. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) revealed that women users perceived easy cooking, smokeless environment and reduced daily workload as the main benefits. Saving of firewood, saving of kerosene, positive impact in health of family members and clean and healthy household environment were other frequently quoted benefits of biogas.

The study recommends that the subsidy amount should not be reduced. Secondly, the users require more focused training in repair and maintenance and thirdly, an awareness raising program among people should be started.

This Working Paper presents key findings and case studies from the partnership on Domestic Accountability between the Minister for Development Cooperation of The Netherlands and SNV. The partnership was initiated in 2008, and has been operational since in four countries in East and Southern Africa, i.e. Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia.

This Working Paper germinated in a meeting in Dar es Salaam (December 2010), bringing together SNV staff from various countries involved in the Domestic Accountability partnership with their respective Netherlands Embassies.

After the successful training for the trainers of Junior Biogas Technicians (JBT), with the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Pokhara, the Centre of Energy Studies (CES) of the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuwan University felt the need to conduct the advanced biogas training exclusively for the engineers of IOE on similar line. In this backdrop, a Contract Agreement was officially signed between SNV/BSP and CES/IOE in September 2001 to conduct a series of training courses (between September 2000 and January 2001) at CES/IOE.

Originally, the first-hand materials for this training course were derived from FAO/CMS publications named “Biogas Technology: A Training Manual for Extension, 1966” and ʺTraining Manual in Biogas Technology for the Trainers of Junior Biogas Techniciansʺ published by SNV/BSP (17-20 May 2000) and recent development in this field. Soon after the first training, the handouts were revised and modified by the team of experts/trainers to improve its content. This was repeated after the second and third training to produce the final document in the form of Advanced Course in Biogas Technology in its present shape.

The trainees for this course consisted of professionals working at the Institute of Engineering of the Tribhuwan University with an engineering background. In agreement with SNV/BSP and CES/IOE, Dr. Amrit B. Karki was appointed as Programme Coordinator and in total, 13 experienced professionals have contributed as instructors in carrying out the training course.

Well designed and targeted local Benefit Distribution Systems (BDS) will be vital to the success of REDD+. SNV has designed an approach based on its experience in Vietnam which provides an iterative process for the design of local level pro-poor approaches to BDS. At the centre of the this approach are methods for ensuring the inclusiveness of local actors in decisions around the benefit types and timing, and the need for local inclusion in governance frameworks. This approach provides lessons to inform the future development of effective BDS in Vietnam and for practitioners introducing REDD+ in other countries. It will be refined and improved over time as more experiences from REDD+ emerge both within Vietnam, and abroad.

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The objective is evaluating the proposed subsidy scheme for biogas plants and to recommend a scheme to be applied for 1999/2000 and onwards.

Two options – reduce the subsidy amount by NRs. 1,000 per plant across the board, and propose new subsidy rates according to geographical division and the size of the plants – have been evaluated to measure the efficiency of plants with these options. The internal rate of return (IRR) was used as method. This study shows a high IRR in Nepal, both financial and economic, even with a decline on the on-going subsidy rates by a flat amount of NRs. 1,000 per plant. The IRR of a plant is very high when we include the increased NPK in the slurry. The rates of return with the proposed subsidy rates and the inclusion of increased nutrients available in biogas slurry are always higher than 16 percent. Currently the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB/N), Nepal Bank Limited (NBL) and Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) – are involved in providing loans to the biogas sector.

There seem problems with the current subsidy channelling procedure, because a farmer (plant owner) can take double subsidy with the same biogas plant. The BSP Phase III Implementation Document states that the subsidy has to be reduced by NRs. 1,000 to be applied for the F/Y 1999/2000 and onwards. This study does not detect any problems with that proposal. Besides, this study has also considered another option of new subsidy rates according to geographical division
and size of plants.

This study was conceived as an integrated environment impact assessment (IEIA) of BSP phase III (BSP III). The objective was to quantify the impacts of BSP III as a result of the installation and use of biogas for cooking and for lighting to a certain extent. Altogether 1,200 respondents comprising of 600 biogas households (HHs) and 600 non-biogas HHs were investigated.

The impact on energy use was evident. The consumption of kerosene has been reduced, since the traditional and the kerosene stoves were substituted to a great extent by biogas stoves.

The impact on the health situation was found overall positive. 85% biogas HHs perceived a remarkable decrease in smoke. None of biogas HHs reported an increase in the burned cases for the last three years. However, 70% of biogas HHs reported an increase in mosquito breeding as a result of biogas installation.

The Impact on Agriculture and Sustainable Land Use was positive since the use of chemical fertilizer was reduced, an increase in yield was obtained, and the collection of large branches and wood declined.

The impact of climate change is positive, since the carbon emission saved from the reduction of the use of fuel wood, agricultural residues as fuel, dung as fuel, kerosene.

The impact on socio-economic conditions was positive as well, as it appeared that biogas HHs were comparatively well off than non-biogas HHs so far as the possession of improved type of houses, tv, and cattle, buffalo and goats/sheep are concerned.

Presented at the II International Conference on Sustainable Tourism in Developing Countries 10th-11th August 2010 in Tanzania

This study aims at analysing slurry-compost samples of toilet attached biogas plants on the presence of parasites and bacteria, which could pose a health risk while handling the compost.

Out of the 22 new locations from Chitwan and Kavre districts, 6 slurry samples (27%) and four compost samples (18%) were detected for the presence of some kind of parasites. As the parasites present in the compost were different from those in slurry, it might be due to the water logging of the compost pit during rainy season. According to the result of the test, the parasites detected in some fresh slurry were: Larvae of Strongyloides, cyst of Entamoeba histolytica, ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, ova of Trichuris trichura, motile protozoal parasites, Trophozoides of Giardia lamblia. Similarly, parasites detected in compost sample were: Larvae of Strongyloides and ova of Ascaris lumbricoides.

None of the pathogenic organisms were isolated from all samples of slurry and compost in bacteriological tests performed. No direct relationship was obtained with biogas plant size and number of persons using toilet in contaminating the slurry. It was also observed that the parasites containing in the feeding slurry were not well destroyed during retention period in digested chamber in some cases. However, it might have destroyed or reduced some parasites/pathogens after digestion. A study of parasites/pathogens present on faeces at the time of feeding and in fresh slurry after digestion could provide some information for better understanding of the process.

This report assesses the advance subsidy payment in Nepal, its progress, implications and future improvements required. The study, based on analysis of field visits, showed that the advance subsidy payment initiated by Biogas Support Programme Nepal (BSP-Nepal) has indeed greatly supported companies in their working capital management.

An in-depth analysis indicated that companies receiving advance subsidy payments had the lowest amount of additional working capital requirements, compared to those that have not received the subsidy. This advance subsidy was seen as an incentive for serious companies who maintain a financial discipline. Overall, the working capital support of BSP has shown to positively impact biogas companies, which is why it was strongly recommended that the advance subsidy continued. Further, the little credit provided by the Nepal Biogas Promotion Group (NBPG) also had positive implications, and it was recommended for credit to be initiated with wider scope of support. Other recommendations to sustain the advance subsidy payment touched upon the categorizing of biogas companies to operate only in designated areas, etc. BSP-Nepal needed to also improve the subsidy claim processing as the faster the subsidy was released, the better it was for the working capital of companies.

Working capital shortage due to management deficiency of the companies themselves appeared to be a challenging issue that can be alleviated by designing proper costing and financial management capacity. Further recommendations and extensive analysis of plants costs, working capital support, workshop impact analyses and cash converting cycles (CCC) can be found in the report.

The Indonesia Domestic Biogas Programme, popularly called BIRU (Biogas Rumah), is a national programme, implemented by the Dutch NGO Hivos with technical assistance from SNV and in close cooperation with DGEEU. The programme, funded by the Royal Netherlands Embassy started on 15 May 2009 and will run under the current contribution agreement until 31 December 2012. Its overall objective is to disseminate domestic bio-digesters as a local, sustainable energy source through the development of a commercial, market oriented sector in selected Indonesian provinces. This report presents the annual report of 2009 of the programme. The report contains: specific objectives and output indicators, the institutional setting, an overview of all 2009 activities, an overview of the scheduled activities for 2010, resource allocation, reporting obligations, monitoring and evaluation, budget requirements and challenges and lessons learned.