Cooperation between People in Need and National Biodigester Programme in Cambodia

In 2011, the Czech NGO People in Need (PIN), financially supported by the Czech Development Agency (CZDA), the National Biodigester Programme (NBP) in Cambodia and SNV came to an agreement on Czech support to the biodigester sector in Cambodia. In selected provinces, the cooperation is two-fold: it aims to strengthen the demand side of the market by subsidising biodigester construction and the set-up of Biogas User Networks on village level, as well as reinforce the supply side through the establishment of new biodigester construction and service centres and support to the existing ones.

By the end of 2013, this will lead to an additional sustainable energy supply for at least 12,800 people living in the rural areas of Cambodia; the creation of forty companies constructing biodigesters and employing at least 300 people; an annual reduction of fuel wood consumption by 6,350 tons; annual emissions reduction by at least 10,850 tons; and improvement in the health of biodigester users.

A third component of this partnership is a South-North information exchange. This incorporates the provision of internship positions for European students, coupled to Cambodian students, within NBP and the delivery of a compact three-day biogas course by SNV in Prague.

This course will take place at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague from Monday 16 April to Wednesday 18 April. The first day includes technical aspects of domestic biogas; the second day focuses on programme development and sector building; and the third day includes the financial/economic part of biogas development including carbon financing.