Socio-Economic Impact of Biogas Plant in Rural Setting (A Case Study of Shukranagar VDC, Chitwan District, Nepal)

Abstract

This thesis entitled "Socio-Economic Impact of Biogas Plant in Rural Setting: A Case Study of Shukranagar VDC, Chitwan, Nepal". The general objective of this study is to assess the socio-economic impact of biogas plant installation in Shukranagar VDC, Chitwan. The specific objectives of the study are: to study the biogas plant as an appropriate alternative source of energy, to study the impact of biogas in relation to the workload; improvement in health and sanitation; time and money saving; overall energy, environment and economic benefits, to study the potential benefits of biogas plant installation in relation to use of digested slurry as fertilizer and to make recommendations and suggestions to promote biogas plant installation situation. This study has been chosen as a special topic to address the problem of energy in the study area and to provide the scope for the dissemination of the biogas technology. This study is basically based on both primary and secondary sources of data. Like an island between Narayani and Rapti rivers Shukranagar VDC is situated in the west-southern part of Chitwan. In this VDC, there were 1436 households. In the study area there were 506 households (in selected wards-1 and 2). About 30 households have been taken as sampled households out of 506 households. Sampled households were those who had installed biogas plant. Simple random sampling technique has been used to select sample. In this study data were collected from field survey by applying household survey questionnaire and observation method. This study found that majority of the households (50%) out of total interviewed reported that they had adopted agriculture as a main occupation. Average family size of the sampled household was 5.6 per household. About 86.6 percent plant owners out of total interviewed were literate whereas only 13.4 percent were illiterate. Average landholding size is 17 katthas per household. About 53.3 percent out of total interviewed reported that they were from Brahmin caste. Out of total sampled biogas plant owners, majority of the households (83.3%) had taken loan from financial institutions. About 80 percent households reported that the main reason behind the installation of biogas plant was easy and smokeless cooking. Around 86.7 percent plant owners had attached toilet with the biogas plant. Average livestock population size of sampled household was 4.3 per household. Average dung production was 24.4 kgs per household. Majority of the respondents (73.3%) reported that the agricultural production had been increased. Total average time saving was 2½ hrs per day per household. Average saving amount of money was Rs.600/- per month per household. It was found that from the study, majority of the respondents (43.3%) has used saved time on farm activities. This study also revealed that improvement was found in health and sanitation situation. About Rs.310/- per year was saved on health treatment by each household. Majority of the respondents (86.7%) out of total interviewed reported that their social status was raised. It was also found that women were highly benefited by the biogas plant (63.3%). About 50 percent households out of total interviewed accepted that the overall energy, environmental and economic condition had been improved.