How a biogas plant lifted one family out of poverty

Wtih plentiful supplies of animal dung, families in Sri Lanka have a ready source of fuel to convert into biogas. This can then be used cooking and heating so they now spend less time collecting wood and more time generating valuable income.

Sri Lankan Sakuntha Kathirav and her four children rely on the milk they sell from their few cows for all their income. However, they used to have to spend 3-4 hours a day collecting wood for cooking and heating.

Practical Action has helped by showing them how to make  a biogas plant. Biogas plants take animal dung, mix it with water so it ferments and produces gas which is then collected and used in the home for cooking, heating and lighting.

We helped them build their new biogas plant and it has had a number of benefits.

• Sakuntha and her children have more time to collect and sell milk and more time for other income-generating activities.
• The waste can be used as a fertiliser on their vegetable garden to increase yields.
• Their dependence on wood as a fuel is decreased (which helps prevent deforestation).
• Sakuntha's husband has been trained in how to build biogas plants and now gets additional income building them for other people.

Practical Action are now working with the Sri Lankan government to set standards for biogas systems.

Other energy stories in Small Talk March 2010 :

Hydro electricity in Peru | Podcasting in Zimbabwe |Stove maker in Kenya |