WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURSCE MANAGEMENT

A SENIOR SEMINAR PAPER ON: REVIEW OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF BIOGAS PRODUCTION IN ETHIOPIA

BY : MAJIOK GATWECH DENG

ID NO :- UGR/54761/13

ADVISOR : AKLILU G.(M . sc )

MAY:2024

WOLAITA SODO ETHIOPIA

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
First of all, I would like to thank the almighty GOD for helping and guiding me in every of my
life. Next to this, I would like to thank my advisor AKLILU GULLA (MSc), for his invaluable
advice and guidance. and assistance for preparation of this senior seminar.
ABBREVIATIO S AND ACRONYMS
BSP………………………………………………………..Biogas support program
EREDPC……………………………………………….Ethiopian Rural Energy Promotion and
Development Center
ISAT…………………………………………………….Information and Science on Appropriate
Technology
M3……………………………………………………….Meter Cube
NBP……………………………………………………National Biogas Program
NBPE…………………………………………………National Biogas Program of Ethiopia
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMSv

1. INTRODUCTION5
1.1. Background5
1.2 Objectives of the review7
1.2.1 General objectives7
2. LITERATURE REVIEW7
2.1 History of biogas development in the World7
2.2 Importance of biogas……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
2.2.1. Social benefits of biogas8
2.2 .2 Economic benefits of biogas
2.2.3. Role of biogas on soil fertility9
2.2.4 Environmental benefits of biogas
2.3.The current development status of biogas production in Ethiopia………………………………………………….9
2.4.Barriers to the Adoption of Domestic Biogas Energy…………………………………………………………10

2.5.Challenges facing Biogas Promoters in disseminating Biogas Technology……………………….13

3 CONCLUSION .........................................................................................................................14
REFFERENCE………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGRUOND OF THE STUDY
Most of the developing countries are suffering from energy crisis, which is attributed to
depletion of locally available energy resources and dependence on imported fuel. As more and
more trees are cut down in unsustainable manner the impact on environment like soil
erosion, landslide, etc., becomes significantly visible. Furthermore, use of crop residues and
dung cakes, as substitute for wood fuel, reduce the soil fertility and agricultural productivity (A
snake, 2006). According to the report by CSA (2007) 83.3 percent of the total 79.1 million
population of Ethiopia live in rural areas. From the total population living in urban areas 86
percent have access to electricity while the access to this technology is only limited to two
percent living in rural areas. Traditional fuels contribute the rest of the rural energy
consumption, with firewood being by far the most important source (81.8 percent),
followed by dung (9.4 percent), crop residues (8.4 percent) and small amount of charcoal. On
the whole, over 95 percent of the domestic energy needs are met from biomass based fuels
thereby contributing to deforestation, loss of soil nutrients, and organic matter. Some reports
raise this figure to 97 percent. In any case, Ethiopia is one of the countries that rely
extremely on biomass for cooking and lighting (Hila we, 2010; Aklilu, 2008).

Biogas typically refers to a mixture of different gases produced by the breakdown of organic
matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas can be produced from raw materials such as agricultural
waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste or food waste. It is a
renewable energy source and in many cases exerts a very small carbon footprint. Biogas can be
produced by anaerobic digestion with anaerobic bacteria, which digest material inside a closed
system, or fermentation of biodegradable materials (https;//enwikipedia.org/wiki/biogas). To
overcome these problems, alternative energy sources have recently become more and more
attractive due to the increasing demand for energy, the limited resource for buying fossil
fuel, the environmental concerns, and the strategy to survive post-fossil fuel economy era (Siltan,
1985).

Access to modern energy is a key element in developing countries. However, despite all attention
to energy issues in Ethiopia in the past, rural communities continue to be deprived of the basic
energy services (Melis, 2008). Modern form of energy is not available in most rural areas of
Ethiopia while, traditional abruptly being depleted woody biomass for energy purposes. Woody
biomass represents the principal form of cooking and lightning fuel in many parts of Ethiopia
(Ephrem , 2007) .The scarcity of fuel wood has leads to an increased utilization of animal dung
and agricultural residues for cooking as well as lightning(NBPE,2007).

Peoples throughout in developing country especially in Ethiopia use the biomass as their primary
fuel source directly and it is also common in rural areas. However, cutting of woody or trees for
fuel service raises many issues and serious concern. The utilization of traditional fuel has low
energy efficiency and which contributes to the degradation of environment and causes serious
health problem (Ephrem, 2007). Biogas offers an attractive option to replace unsustainable
utilization of fuel wood and charcoal. It complies with the principle put forward in the countries
energy policy and environmental protection strategies, and closely meets the term of plan to
accelerate sustainable development (East Consult, 2003).

The biogas production, that addresses the basic need of rural households, it’s by product which is
bio-slurry enhance or improve agricultural productivity and promote organic farming. On the
whole, it ensures environmental sustainability and it used as domestic fuel improve development
condition and opportunities for women’s and girls’ (NBPE, 2007). The benefit of biogas is not
limited to rural households. Biogas contributes for saving of foreign exchange as result of
reduced use of kerosene by economically, environmental returns for the public slowing down the
rate of deforestation and reduction of greenhouse gases (ISAT, 2009).

1.2 Objectives of the study

1.2.1 General objectives
The general objective of this study is to assess the socio economic and environmental benefits of
biogas production in Ethiopia

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 History of biogas development in the World
Biogas has been produced, since there has been biomass and waste is decaying, decomposing
and digested by bacteria. It is though that it was discovered in swamp but, the true potential of
this gas is not realized until 1890s when the gas was used for lightning in England. The
appearance of flickering light emerging from below the surface of swamps was netted by planus
(Van, 1980). Heating digest thank made practical use of methane produce by anaerobic process.
It is one interest to note that methane gas was collected in Germany, 1914-1923 and used to
generate power for biological treatment of plants as well as for the cooling water from the motor
being used to heat the digestion thank (Uri, 1992).

2.2 Importance of biogas

Biogas is a type of a gas that is formed by the biological break down of organic matter in an
oxygen deficient environment (Van, 1980). It is counted as an eco-friendly bio-fuel. It can be
employed for generating electricity and also as automotive fuel. Biogas can be used as substitute
for compressed natural gas. Biogas by itself positively affects the economy of rural areas (Watch,
2009). According to (ISAT,2009), the principal benefits of biogas includes conversion of natural
organic waste into fertilizer; eco-friendly energy production; considerable work load reduction in
rural community(mostly women’s , girls and children’s); visible improvement of rural society
hygiene and environmental benefits of local, national as well as global scale.

2.2.1. Social benefits of biogas

The biogas production highly benefits women, girls and children’s with introducing of the
technology, cooking with biogas is easier because of it saves time for fire wood collection and its
quick and clean. And also, better quality of life of society which uses biogas rather than non-
users (S.Lewanhak, 1989). In door climate dramatically improved as result of using clean biogas
stoves instead of burning fuel wood directly would mean that a lot of problems with hazardous
smoke practices would be avoided (Lietal, 2005).The result of the biogas users have significant
improvement in the incidence of smoke –borne diseases such as eye infection, cough, respiratory
diseases, head ache and diarrheal diseases. Households had improved biogas as result of using
biogas stoves instead of fuel wood. This could have contributed to significant improvement in
health among biogas households and they are active participants in social life (BSP, 2007).
2.2 .2 Economic benefits of biogas
The biogas users realize the great effect that biogas plants on their finances. Satisfied users share
this experience with neighbors, friends, relatives and create interest on them as well as users
acknowledges the effect of biogas throughout its various benefits, mainly economically through
improvements of their livelihoods, saves money and more convenient fuel than traditional
fuels(MoF,2008). The installation of biogas has reduced the expenditure of the household’s users
on fuel purchases, thereby saving natural resources (CMS, 2007). The primary benefits of
improved health among biogas households are due to reduced smoke indirectly reducing health
related expenses. Further, improving hygiene and thereby reducing diseases also has an
economic value. If peoples can avoided diseases it also means their working time was not be
reduced as result (East Consult, 2004).

The anaerobic fermentation of waste products, human excreta and cattle manure etc. is a cheap
way of getting energy and at the same time handling waste products (Gautam,2009).This saves
the money of society to buy chemical fertilizer for their agricultural productivity(Devkota,2001).

2.2.3. Role of biogas on soil fertility

The bio slurry produced from the digester or digested manure is actually a high quality organic
fertilizer. This fertilizer is very important, especially in our country where the farmers do not
have a source to buy a chemical fertilizer frequently (Samuel, 2009). The bio-slurry from one
kilogram digested dung can yield up to an extra 0.5 kilogram nitrogen compared to fresh
manure(Sasses’, 1988),and estimated high content in nitrogen , potassium and phosphors. It has
been calculated through lab test that the fertilizer which comes from biogas production contain
three times more nitrogen than the best compost made through open air digestion(Sasses’, 1988).
This bio-slurry increases soil fertility, leads high agricultural productivity of the soil, acceptance
of the society to apply on their land rather chemical fertilizer and generally bio-slurry have
positive effect on land as well as on soil (Samuel, 2009).

2.2.4. Environmental benefits of biogas

According to(Samuel, 2009) globally the greenhouse effects is caused by in the atmosphere
mainly car- bon dioxide, which allow the suns short wave radiation to reach the earth’s surface
With a biogas digestion of the renewable source of energy is capture which has an important
climatic twin effects by the use of renewable energy reduce the carbon dioxide emission through
a reduction demand for fossil fuels, fire woods and at the same time capturing uncontrolled
methane emission , the second most important greenhouse gas is reduced.

Biogas use, replacing conventional or traditional fuels like kerosene, fire wood allows for the
conservation of environment. Biogas reduces woods; bush’s cutting and collected for fuel
purposes. This lead to reduce land degradation, reduces soil erosion, maintains fresh local air
condition, conserves nutrients and organic matter in place and enhances green of environment.
The positive relation of biogas with environment or eco-friendly type of energy production
system is needed in present generation and also requirement increases in future generation (BSP,
2009).

Of the non-biogas user’s households have traditional stoves with poor ventilation in kitchen
room (Pandey, 1989). But, for biogas users, improved sanitation and reduction of smoke on
kitchen are two basic reasons that imply for better health status

2.3 The current development status of biogas

production in Ethiopia
With a population of over 72 million and more than 90% of the energy demand of the country
provided by biomass, a dire energy situation exists due to a high rate of depletion of the
country’s forest cover. Biogas as an alternative biomass energy was introduced in
Ethiopia in 1979. The first batch type digester was constructed at the Ambo Agricultural
College. In the last two and half decades around 1000 biogas plants, ranging in size from 2.5m 3
to 200 m3, were constructed in households, community and governmental institutions in
various parts of the country. Presently, approximately 40% of the biogas plants that were
constructed are not operational due to a lack of effective management and follow-up,
technical problems, loss of interest, reduced animal holdings, evacuation of ownership, water
problems, etc. (Bores, et al., 2007). Due to the renewed interest in biogas, and in order to
unleash the potential for biogas in Ethiopia, a feasibility study to assess the potential for
domestic biogas plant was commissioned. The positive outcome of the feasibility study of a
National Biogas Programmed (NBP) for Ethiopia resulted in a formal partnership between
the Ethiopian Rural Energy Promotion and Development Centre (EREDPC) and
SNV/Ethiopia to develop a programmed implementation Document for mass dissemination of
domestic biogas.

A national biogas development program that encourages and facilities investment activity in the
fuel of bio fuels has put into action to strength the development sectors, achieve the economic
growth and improve the living of population. As experience from the bio fuel investment would

Creates job opportunities and foreign earning (Melis, 2008). The development policy of the
country is to create an environment conducive to participation and contribution of private sectors
in the economic development of the country. Now a day the federal government of Ethiopia has
in corporate a national biogas production (NBP) in its rural development plan frame work to
ascertain the poverty alleviation and the sustainable development efforts (NBP, 2007). This
program helps to create alternative energy sources as well as the favorable condition for the
development of individual sectors. This effort aims at achieving an optimum utilization of the
country’s natural resources, human and material resources (CMS, 2007). The production of bio-
fuel and green power consider from the point of view of its potential for poverty alleviation
through rural employment and income generation, and its environmental positive impact such as
sustainability ecosystem rehabilitation, climate change mitigation through carbon sink.

2.4 Barriers to the Adoption of Domestic Biogas

Energy
Biogas technology has not yet been successfully adopted as either an energy or economic strategy in
Africa (Biogas for better life an African initiative, 2008). In Africa compared to Asia, biogas
technology dissemination has been relatively unsuccessful. Njoroge (2002) attributes the non-
progressiveness of most biogas programs in Africa
Are due to the following factors: a) failure of African governments to support biogas technology
through a focused energy policy, b) poor design and construction of digesters, c) wrong operation
and lack of maintenance by users, d) poor dissemination strategies, e) lack of project monitoring and
follow-ups by promoters, and f) poor ownership responsibility by users.
Another factor that hinders biogas adoption is the minimal disposable income among farmers and
competing needs for the limited available financial resources (GTZ, 2009). Due to current poor
economic performance, there is an increasing level of household poverty, which affects the
purchasing power of the rural households. As result, many households‟ have very little savings to
invest in non-polluting energy technologies such as biogas carbon dioxide reduction (Tibiae and
Nigusu, 2008).
2.5 Challenges facing Biogas Promoters in
disseminate biogas technology
A study by Shell Foundation in 2007 revealed that in Africa, low awareness on the value of biogas
technology has been another factor inhibiting its uptake. Inadequate or lack of biogas technology
awareness has proven to be an up task for the technology promoters. As many of the potential users
of the technology are not aware of the technology, many have not even seen it, or those who have are
ignorant about how it operates or works, its benefits and personal relevance to them (Biogas for a
better life initiative, 2007).Mwirigi et al., (2009), observes that social- cultural factors have hindered
the promotion and dissemination of biogas technology. In many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, biogas
is considered to be a dirty technology and social stigma exists against its use because of social
beliefs.

Many people consider the taste of the food cooked by biogas to be inferior to that cooked on a wood
or charcoal stove. A survey carried out by Heifer International in Central Uganda revealed that most
of the communities use slow cooking methods like steaming of green bananas that require a lot of
time and energy (SNV, 2011). As a result, the traditional stoves are the preferred option for most
community members as they think that biogas stoves generate a lot of energy that is mostly used
while boiling food rather than steaming food. As such, these types of cultural perceptions have
greatly impaired the adoption rates of energy saving technologies that are meant to conserve energy
and provide a superior energy source in Africa. Energy Centers are characterized with limited human
and financial resources and have remained the focal points for dissemination of information on
biogas.

3. CONCLUSION
3.1. Conclusion
In developing countries with high population density gathering biomass fuel may cause serious
for deforestation. Since the supplies of fire wood from forest, woody land diminish communities
are now required biogas plant. Well-functioning biogas plants can replace the entire consumption
of fire wood and agricultural residues of individual households by biogas. For all biogas
households in study area biogas is primarily a means of supplying energy for both daily cooking
and for lightning purposes.

Even if there is no income generating utilization of time saved there is a benefit to the individual
and the households which could provide a convincing argument. The utilization of biogas saves
time but also makes cooking more comfortable in comparison to the traditional methods, smokes
no longer pollute the kitchen, and a biogas flame is much easier to start than an open fire. Again
it is of life quality, something which cannot be valued in monitory terms. Despite of the above
benefits of biogas plants in the study area needs critical assessment like production cost and
running cost.

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