Project Detail

Promotion of Alternative Energy Programs with economic benefit of Danuwar, Dalits and other Underprivileged Women Project

Nepal has been classified in United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) as the highest risk zone in Asia in terms of the ecological crisis. The root cause of this crisis is poverty compounded by growing populations (NTNC). This is more evident in Siraha district where the population growth rate is 2.25%, highest in the Tarai (CBS, 2001). Naturally the impact fells on forest resources which are depleting in alarming rate. The situation has been furthered aggravated by uncontrolled grazing, encroachment of forest for agricultural expansion, over-harvesting of forest for firewood for households. Consequently, it has deep impact the lifestyle of Danuwar/Tharu

The people of that region are using energy, mostly for cooking and heating. This demand is met through the combustion of firewood (75 per cent) and agricultural residues and dung (20 per cent). The high demand for firewood has depleted forestry reserves, resulting in problems such as soil degradation, erosion, landslides and flooding which is crucial problem to be addressed as far as possible. The annual deforestation rate at 1.7%, therefore firewood, a scarce resource. Rural women often spend at least 3-hours a day to collect firewood. That means most of the productive times of the family are investing in collection of firewood, animal dung, crop residue and have not sufficient time to carry out income generation activities. Most the beneficiaries haven't sufficient cows to supply enough dung to feed the digester and they have no access to loan to purchase additional cows. So, we have to take into consideration to main the tree cover in and around the Churia region which is exposing in vulnerable conditions in the future.

The use of animal dung as fuelwood results decrease in agriculture production and creates highly smoky environment. The smoke generates by using fuelwood and animal dung caused the incidence of several health issues related to respiratory systems.

The project aim to impart skill to local women entrepreneur as biogas promoter & nursery raisers and develop model energy village where maximum alternative energy use would be adopted (biogas, improved cook stove, private plantation, etc)

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Aharnish Aryan - Centre for Environment and Development

Country:

Nepal

Area Of Work:

Climate Change Mitigation

Operational Phase:

OP4 - Y2 (Jul 08 - Jun 09)

Grant Amount:

US$ 29,976.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 11,480.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 6,481.00

Project Number:

NEP/SGP/OP4/CORE/Y2/09/08

Start Date:

3/2009

End Date:

10/2010

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Tharus and Danuwars will be benefited by the projec

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Since the project aims to fulfill the household energy need through alternative clean energy technology, the family health will be improved.

Gender Focus

The grantee has compiled database of women members from 3,000 households on issues of reproductive health. Thus the support from project is mainly aimed at decreasing indoor air pollution of the kitchen so as to improve their health. The community actors of the project will all be women eg biogas technicians, nursery raisers etc.

Notable Community Participation

The local CBOs will be mobilised to initiate the activities.

Capacity - Building Component

Training on biogas masionary, nursery managment will be provided to the local community

Project Results

The Sample survey of 1% of total beneficiaries, that is 300 of 3000 women who benefited by software and hardware program provided by the GEF-SGP, provides the following results. The survey is done in the beginning and the end of the project. The findings are as follow:
1. The survey shows that there is the decrease rate of using forest resources after the project intervention. Before the project intervention, 42% of women used to meet their energy demand from government and community forest. After the project intervention, only 33% of women go to forest to meet their energy demand.
2. Almost all the members of RHN are demanding the biogas plant and Rice husk. The project met demand of 102 families.
3. The National Rural Energy Development Company ( NREDC) reported that its performance has increased because of the increasing demand of alternative energy.
4. The survey shows that there is a sharp decline of breathing problems among the women who complained acute breathing problem after the project intervention. In the beginning 32% of women complained about the breathing problem, while at the end of the project only 8% women said they have breathing problems. However, there is an increase of percentage of women who complained that they have little problem ( from 13% to 29%).
5. Before the project intervention, 19% of beneficiaries use to spend 3 hours to collect the woods. Rest of women would take either 6 hr or 8 hour and more than that. After the intervention, 56% of women take 3 hours to collect wood. The time required to supply energy source per day per households dropped dramatically to those women families who have received the bio-gas.
45 Bio-gas installation, 53 Rice-Husk stoves, 4 metal Jaivik Urja stove and promotion of fodder plantation in the private lands have attributed these results. 13.22 ha areas are planted in the community forest areas and private lands. These areas are mostly from the Vhadaiya, Taragnana and Pokharbinda village of the project site.
An increase of 26% in the category of women whose income was of Rs.15000. In the beginning only 16% of total women reported of having the income of Rs.15000, while at the end of the project 42% of women have reported the increase of income of Rs.15000. The cause of this change may attribute to different income generating scheme attach to bio-gas slurry, fish farming, kitchen gardening , poultry farming and goat rearing and other income related activities.

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Indicators

Biophysical

Tonnes of CO2 decreased or avoided by energy efficient and renewable energy technologies or applying environmentally sustainable transport practices introduced by SGP Project 300

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