Practices, Challenges And Opportunitiesof Small Scale Biogas Technonoly In Kofele District Of West Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopis

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess practices, challenges and opportunities of small scale biogas technology. The study applied descriptive type of research design consisting of quantitative and qualitative research approach. During the course of field research, primary data were collected with the help of collection instruments such as household survey, key informants interview and observation. The said data were collected from all 55 biogas digester owners and 60 purposively selected non user households. Secondary data was also accessed from published and unpublished sources. The data from the questionnaire survey was organized and analyzed using tactical tests, multiple recreation models and with the help tactical analysis tools of Microsoft-Excel. In this connection, efforts were made to compute average yearly consumption of different fuel materials by adopters and non-adopters. The study found that after installation of biogas plant, each adopter could save 1,309.59kg wood, 227.91 kg of charcoal and 94.61 liter of kerosene, 63kg of chemical fertilizer. As result of reduction of consumption of these materials, each biogas owners could save 11,186.45 birr per annum. In addition, researcher could identify contribution of bio slurry technology in minimizing incidence of some of smoke induced diseases and workload ((by minimizing frequencies of fuel wood consumptions). On top of these, with the help of tools such as focused group discussion and key informant interview, the research could identify some challenges that limit level of dissemination of the technology in associate with contribution of biogas technology. Despite its numerous benefits and dissemination efforts, the uptake/adoption of biogas technology in the study area was low. Though implementation of biogas has been going on since 2018 in the study area, only 55 biogas plants have been installed. In view of this, it was recommended that suitable strategies have to be looked for and undertaken so that practices of the technology will get reach to its targets.