On December 29, 2017, the joint venture of Asian Management and Development Institute (AMDI) and KANKYO Vietnam JSC signed consultancy services contract with Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) for package “Research on biogas technology improvement and effective biogas utilisation by value chain” under the framework of The Low Carbon Agricultural Support Project, funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Vietnamese Government. The package will be implemented within 18 months from 1/2018 to 6/2019
The Join-venture AMDI- KANKYO participated in the Inception meeting with LCASP CPMU.
The Agricultural Projects to Support Low Carbon (LCASP) was signed between Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 2013. The project is expected to raise the uptake of Climate Smart Agricultural Waste Management Practices (CSAWMP) through increasing usage of clean biogas energy and organic bio-slurry fertilizers. The project also strengthens the capacity of various stakeholders by disseminating skills and knowledge of good practices to beneficiaries. The objectives of this project are to (i) Improve the management of livestock waste, slurry of biogas; reducing envrionmental pollution; create clean energy, bio-organic fertilizers and generate incomes from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), (ii) Increase the application of CSAWMP that are effectively certified; greater use of renewable energy and bio-fertilizers from agricultural waste; replicate pilots application of CSAWMP to reduce grenhouse gas (GHG) emission, improving livelihood and life quality of rural people, and (iii) Capacity bulding for stakeholders by disseminating of good CSAWMP to beneficiaries. The project is implemented in 10 provinces including Bac Giang, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Ha Tinh, Lao Cai, Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, Soc Trang, Son La and Tien Giang within 6 years (2013-2018). The project comprises the following 4 components:
Component 1: The project will upgrade livestock waste infrastructure through: (i) Construction of 36.000 small biogas plants (SBP), 40 medium biogas plants and 10 large biogas plants associated with value chain infrastructure. At least 5% of total small biogas plants will be constructed for ethinic minority in at least three project provinces; (ii) By 2018, training on construction, operation, environment of SBP are given to 36.000 households (at least 50% of which is women), 500 masons (at least 20% of which is women), 160 technicians (at least 20% of which is women); 10 engineers and 10 contractors will be trained and registered in Biogas Association; (iii) Development of database system (including registration in both husband’s and wife’s names) to manage effectively the construction and application of biogas plants.
Component 2: Establish credit lines for biogas value chains: (i) credit provided through two Fianancial Intermediaries (FI) to 36,000 households, farm owners, enterprises to construct biogas plants and associated environmental items; (ii) at least 50% of credit recipients will be registered under husband-wife joint accounts or with wife as representative; technical training on livestock waste management and biogas for staff of FIs.
Component 3: Enhanced CSAWMP technology transfer through: (i) Training and implementing agriculture extension models for CSAWMP technology transfer in 10 project provinces, of which at least 50% of beneficiaries are women and with the participation of community organisations; (ii) Elaborating a community-based research and CSAWMP technology transfer strategy, including communication activities and a detailed mainstreaming workplan; (iii) Implementing CSAWMP pilots and replication pilots, of which 30% are integrated with gender issues. These pilots will focus on CSAWMP to generate organic energy, electricity and fertilizers.
Component 4: Project management: (i) Establish and operate project management system comprising of Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) and Provincial Project Management Unit (PPMU) with skilled staff and adequate facilities, 30% of the staff is women and a gender focal point will be appointed.; (ii) Create Monitoring and Evaluating System for data on gender and ethnic minorities; (iii) Assign carbon market coordinator and organise activities of 36.000 owners of biogas plants through associations.
A survey report on biogas users conducted by SNV in 2011 indicated that 55.6% of the surveyed households flared surplus biogas, while 19.4% of household-level digesters releases methane directly into the atmostphere without any treatment. Moreover, direct discharge of bio-slurry into local drainage/sewage system or the environenment results in potential serious pollution risks to the soil and surface water. Although the performance of small biogas plants (SBPs) technology has been impressive, medium (MBPs) and large biogas plants (LBPs) has yet to be approved. The rapid growth of SBPs has also led to serious operational issues such as usage of biogas, pollution risks, emission of greenhouse gas and dependence on subsidies. Upon such situation, to continue development and facilitate innovation, improving available technology to support the changing production, demand and usage of biogas are a priority in biogas sector of Vietnam. Furthermore, the seach for added value within biogas sector will require the involvement of many organisations.
The objective of this package is to develop and demonstrate new technologies associated with the biogas value chain. This is a challenging task; however, with many years of experience in biogas and management, along with a team of leading experts in this field, AMDI-KANKYO is confident to meet the expectation of the sponsor. Simultaneously, it is positive that the outputs of this project can be expanded and commercialised in the near future.