A Bio-Gas Plant producing a cleaner cooking fuel and organic manure

This has been a big issue among Climate Change debates that despite being a potential emitting greenhouse gas, Methane has not been focused on emission reduction, and India being a large agriculture-based economy has great potential to use biogas slurry as green/organic manure. Biogas can be produced from various organic materials, but animal dung is a viable option in rural areas of the country where people depend on agriculture and need organic nutrients to improve soil fertility. Another side Biogas can be used as a fuel for cooking in rural areas. The waste slurry that comes out after making gas from animal dung has an important importance in organic farming. In such a situation, Rajmeru found Biogas a viable and sustainable option for farmers who are willing to adopt innovations in their small farms and make the land fertile as biogas slurry in the form of fertilizer is a boon for crops with fulfillment of micronutrients.

One of Rajmeru’s woman leaders Rasal Devi’s showed her interest to construct biogas unit at her home. Rasal Devi took training in biogas and a unit was constructed under the joint collaboration of Rajmeru Sanstha Jaipur and BTDC department of MPUAT Udaipur and Rasal’s contribution. Rasal Devi now cooks food in her house through biogas. This has reduced her gas cylinder expenses considerably. Along with savings, now she is taking crops of fruit plants, vegetables, wheat, jowar, mustard etc. with using waste slurry as an organic manure, due to which she is getting good crops at low cost. Her income from agriculture has been increased. Her work is also benefiting 15 to 20 families indirectly. Along with this, the fertility of the land is also improving. Now chemical fertilizers are also used less in the field, dependence on indigenous fertilizers and seeds in the field has increased. Rasal Devi is inspiring other farmers to practice organic farming using manure and using indigenous methods. Through which the nearby farmers also got awareness and encouraged by this, the nearby farmers have considered organic farming as the basis for biogas (cooking gas) and bio/organic-food. This effort has not only affecting positively the lives of the marginalized farmers but also contributing to a global cause of Climate Change through reduction of emission of methane considerably.