Publications

This document summarises the systematisation of the project “Sustainable Biofuel Value Chain Development in an Existing African Oil Palm Plantation”, executed by SNV, WWF and HONDUPALMA, from October 2007 to March 2009, in El Negrito, Yoro, Honduras.

The purpose of the systemisation was to analyse the process followed in the design and implementation of the project and to identify the factors and key elements of: i) best agricultural practices (BAP) in production of African oil palm; ii) cleaner production (CP) in oil extraction and production plant; iii) bio-gas recovery project for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), in order to replicate and enlarge this experience at national and regional levels so as to share the lessons learnt throughout the process.

• The first section presents a summary of the methodological process followed to carry out the systematisation of the project;
• The second section makes reference to the context in which it was developed;
• The initial vision project (concepts, objectives, expected results, central themes, methodology and participants) is described in the third section;
• The fourth section deals with the formulation, formalisation and execution of the process, focusing on three main subjects: Cleaner Production (CP),
• Best Agricultural Practices (BAP), and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); and one cross cutting subject: Business Model with a Value Chain Focus;
• Finally, the document includes the lessons learnt from the phases and the main subjects of the project, from which recommendations were derived to improve the implementation of the planned activities and achievements.

This story relates the challenges of deforestation and climate change in Southern Honduras and the impact that an innovate project led by SNV Honduras and financed by CORDAID and DANIDA has achieved in reforesting the area with Jatropha. The project has achieved results not only in improving previously degraded lands, but also through generating income for small holder farmers and contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions through producing biofuels. 

This document summarises the systematisation of the project “Sustainable Biofuel Value Chain Development in an Existing African Oil Palm Plantation”, executed by SNV, WWF and HONDUPALMA, from October 2007 to March 2009, in El Negrito, Yoro, Honduras.

The purpose of the systemisation was to analyse the process followed in the design and implementation of the project and to identify the factors and key elements of: i) best agricultural practices (BAP) in production of African oil palm; ii) cleaner production (CP) in oil extraction and production plant; iii) bio-gas recovery project for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), in order to replicate and enlarge this experience at national and regional levels so as to share the lessons learnt throughout the process.

• The first section presents a summary of the methodological process followed to carry out the systematisation of the project;
• The second section makes reference to the context in which it was developed;
• The initial vision project (concepts, objectives, expected results, central themes, methodology and participants) is described in the third section;
• The fourth section deals with the formulation, formalisation and execution of the process, focusing on three main subjects: Cleaner Production (CP), Best Agricultural Practices (BAP), and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); and one cross cutting subject: Business Model with a Value Chain Focus;
• Finally, the document includes the lessons learnt from the phases and the main subjects of the project, from which recommendations were derived to improve the implementation of the planned activities and achievements.

Climate change is one of the urgent environmental problems faces the world, especially in developing countries like Honduras. The impact of climate changes has varying degrees in terms of socioeconomic and natural systems and therefore present a danger to the poorest sectors that depend on their environment and natural means of subsistence living. To achieve the emissions reduction targets, developing countries can make use of flexibility mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

In an effort to combat the effects of Climate Change Programme, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and SNV, with support from the Secretariat Natural Resources and Environment (SERNA), made available this scoping study, evaluation and opportunities of the CDM sector in Honduras. The main objective is to strengthen the positioning of Honduras on the issue of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions and the use of CDM development projects in the carbon market, also further optimization the capacity of the public and private sectors to access the carbon market and institutional strengthening on issues relating to procedures. This research is presented as a baseline study, mainly built on the results of a participatory process including stakeholders from different institutions related to CDM in Honduras.

This document, written in Spanish, presents a feasibility study conducted by SNV of the introduction of a domestic biogas programme in Honduras.

The study concludes that there is a big potential for the production of biogas in Honduras, but the introduction of a domestic biogas programme does not seem feasible right away. The lack of payment in rural areas (most digesters are subsidized), the absence of detailed information on the geographical potential of biogas production, the absence of knowledge about the current fuel wood consumption and domestic energy costs for rural households, generate doubts about the potential success of a national program of domestic biogas. However, the study found items that should be taken into consideration in the near future to verify the feasibility or a program.

The study concludes with main recommendations in which is stated that it is recommended to conduct a study of one to two years, which clarifies and corroborate the geographical distribution of the potential market for biogas production, obtains more reliable information on fuel wood consumption, identifies target groups. Amongst others based on this extra information you could implement a project to support the construction of 150 biogas digesters in conjunction with the Association Honduran Coffee Producers (AHPROCAFE) and the Foundation Merendon. Further, the most adequate financial mechanisms need to be defined, as well as the payment capacity of potential beneficiaries and the availability of rural credit.

Este documento tiene como principal objetivo orientar a las organizaciones que trabajen con pequeñas y medianas empresas (PYMES) -empresas en diversos sectores de la economía, tales como los pequeños productores del sector agrícola, agroindustrial o forestal- a nivel centroamericano, para que puedan identificar oportunidades en el mercado de carbono para el desarrollo de proyectos de pequeña escala de mitigación de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI).

This factsheet contains information on SNV's improved cookstoves around the globe, as well as its partnership in the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, a public private initiative led by the UN Foundation.

Desde 1986, en consonancia con políticas gubernamentales, en Honduras se ha promovido el desarrollo del cultivo de la palma de aceite con el objetivo de aportar al crecimiento económico regional, En el departamento de Yoro, el cultivo de la palma de aceite es de 20 000 hectáreas aproximadamente, 70% de las cuales pertenece a pequeños agricultores agrupados en cooperativas o empresas asociativas. En un área geográfica tan extensa, este cultivo está expuesto a plagas y enfermedades, y su sostenibilidad depende del adecuado manejo que se haga de ellas. Por este motivo, SNV y HONDUPALMA, con el apoyo de la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), impulsaron un programa de Mejores Prácticas Agrícolas en el cultivo de palma de aceite.

This guide contains information on the carbon market and more details on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), under the Kyoto Protocol, a mechanism that presents a business opportunity in the carbon market for investors in projects in developing countries.

• Chapter 1 explains what the reasons were to venture into the carbon market; what is the carbon market; who is involved; and how it develops;
• Chapter 2 explains what the CDM benefits and business opportunities for projects are in countries developing as well as the legal framework governing it;
• Chapters 3, 4 and 5 are related to the CDM project cycle:
  Chapter 3 highlights the steps in this cycle to understand the implications of such projects and actions to accomplish them. Chapter 4 presents information on actors and their responsibilities within the CDM project cycle. Chapter 5 gives an estimate of transaction costs and cycle time it may take to complete;
• Chapter 6 gives an idea of financing projects, citing some organizations involved in the carbon market for this purpose;
• Chapter 7 brings together the requirements to be met by country developer / investor and the project to be classified as CDM. In addition, the constraints and more common bottlenecks are presented in this type of project;
• The appendices section includes a table with web site links where you can find information on the CDM and a glossary with commonly used terms in the subject.

The Regional Environment Programme in Central America (PREMACA) has been promoting the design and validation of a prototype for the production of bioethanol, biogas and bio-fertilizers from wastes of wet milling of coffee, as an ideal complement to close the production cycle for eco-enterprises and mitigate the negative environmental effects of this crop production and, in turn, generate revenue. This paper presents the results of that effort, presenting a technical and methodological proposal for replication and scalability of the prototype, which has been validated in Marcala as an eco-business of coffee.