Sustainable use of appropriate energy and strengthening of small-scale credit scheme to contribute to adapting to climate change and improving local livelihoods

Objectives

To enhance the participation of community members in the use of sustainable energy to reduce the pressure of heavy reliance on mangrove forests for their energy demands.

Background

In Cambodia, most of the people use firewood and charcoal as fuel for their daily needs. These materials are also exported to other countries. These are important factors that exacerbate the phenomenon of illegal logging. In Toul Korki, community members cut mangrove trees for domestic use and also sell it outside the community. In terms of protecting and conserving mangrove forest resources, this project has focused on enhancing the participation of community members in the use of sustainable energy to reduce the pressure on mangroves by enhancing their awareness about the use of biodigesters (biogas kiln).

Target beneficiaries

Target beneficiaries of the project are 250 households in Toul Koki community with a total of 1,250 members and 250 households within the community.

Outputs

There are some expected results:

• 500 wood/charcoal saving stoves will be produced out of which 250 stoves (20,000/stove) will be sold within the community and the other 250 stoves (25,000/stove) will be sold outside the community.
• 12 sets of bio digesters will be built in 4 target villages in Toul Korki commune for 12 households.
• Awareness raised for at least 250 households about the benefits of saving groups. 

Accomplishments and challenges

Accomplishments

• 12 families are applying biogas digester system supported MFF-funded project with the energy being produced for cooking and lighting;

• Firewood and charcoal producing kiln was already built by the MFF-funded project in the project site. This kiln is being used to produce firewood/charcoal efficient stove to be delivered for free of charge in order to reduce their dependence of mangrove forest for firewood and charcoal. The kiln will still be used for local people who have learned the stove-producing techniques beyond the project;

• 250 firewood-efficient stoves were produced by using local materials;

• Follow-up trainings were organised by inviting all project beneficiaries to raise any issues/challenges for solutions and improvements of the system.

• Increase in equal participation of women and men in the implementation of the project

• Improved access to the new knowledge about biogas digesters and firewood-efficient stoves;

Challenges

• Heavy rains hindered the construction of biogas digesters and production of firewood-efficient stoves

Contributions to cross-cutting themes

• Climate change:

Wood/charcoal efficient stove and bio​digesters help to protect and conserve the mangrove forest within community and sustainable use of resources in response to climate change. The project has 2 measures in response to climate change such as

-          Disseminate and enhance knowledge of local community and relevant stakeholders about the advantages of wood/charcoal efficient stove and bio digesters.

-          Enhance knowledge of community members about advantages of saving group.

• Gender:

-          Both male and female of 250 households will receive benefit from project equally. While project implementation, most of women will play a key role in all activities of project implementation.

• Communication:

-          Strengthening cooperation and communication between existing networks at the sub-national to national levels.

-          Disseminate the information and knowledge about benefits of wood/charcoal efficient stove and bio digesters as well as the value of mangrove forest and climate change via conducting workshop, meeting, media programs and so on.

Lessons Learned

• If properly maintained, the biogas digester system can be used for up to 40 years

• The project beneficiaries decided to borrow the money from the local bank to buy cows: 1). Cow manure for bio digester 2). Increased profits from cows 3). Natural fertilizer for cropping;

• Improved environmental system/ Ecosystem structure & function: Reduced pressure on mangroves and environmentally-friendly gas with enough source of energy

• Climate Change-related: Contribute directly and indirectly to the improve the mangrove and CC