Thousands of biogas plants built thanks to ADB-funded project
By February 2018, nearly 52,000 small, 23 medium and two large biogas plants had been built across Vietnam to help reduce rural waste from livestock production under an US$84-million agricultural project.
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Constructing a biogas plant in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre. (Photo: nongnghiep.vn)
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The project aims to encourage farmers to process livestock waste, which has serious consequences for health and the environment, into biogas and slurry. It also looks to raise awareness about environmentally-safe, climate-friendly waste management practices using commune pilot demonstrations, training courses, study tours, radio and television programmes and other information.
It is expected to lower energy costs, raise organic fertiliser use and boost household incomes, contributing to sustainable agricultural development and new-style rural area building.
The LCASP received US$74 million in soft loans from the Asian Development Bank and US$10 million from the Government and State-owned financial firms.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam is home to about 12 million households raising livestock and 23,500 livestock farms which dump an estimated 84.5 million tonnes of waste annually. Only 20% of the waste is converted into biogas and fertiliser or used for aquaculture. The remainder is discharged into the environment without treatment, causing serious pollution.
