Over 38,000 biodigesters have been installed in countries where SNV supports implementation

A new SNV report has shown that in 2018 for the countries in which SNV Netherlands Development Organisation has supported implementation, over 38,000 household biodigesters have been installed in 17 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Asia delivered most digesters (over 27,000 units), in particular in Nepal, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Africa surpassed 10,000 digesters, with most of the units installed in Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia and Burkina Faso.

In many of these countries, support by SNV has come to an end while partners (private sector, government, donors) have continued the development of the sector. In this respect, the data presented in this report combine digesters installed with direct SNV support as well as with the support of related follow-on projects.

Almost all these digesters are fed by animal manure and provide two precious outputs: biogas, mainly used for clean cooking, and bio-slurry, a potent organic fertiliser to enhance agricultural production.

The numbers in Latin America are low. Up to 2018, over 868,000 households in 24 countries have invested in a biodigester since the start of SNV’s interventions in Nepal in the early nineties. Out of this number, about 315,000 units (36%) have been established without SNV support, most of them in Nepal (over 154,000 units) and Vietnam (over 107,000 units).

Biodigesters in operation provide multiple benefits, by creating more income, increased well-being, reduced vulnerability, improved food security, and more sustainable use of the natural resource base for smallholder farmers. They potentially contribute to nine of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on current United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) methodologies, household digesters reduce GHGs by 3 to 4 tonnes of CO2-eq each year. To download the full report please click here or click on the image below.