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1. Introduction. Under the Biogas Support Programme (BSP). so far over 35.000 biogas plants have been installed. This equals about 3% of the total technical potential of 1.3 million family-sized biogas plants in Nepal [I]. The third phase of BSP aims to increase the installed number of biogas plants to 120,200 [2]. In order to achieve this target, plant owners will have to fully perceive and put to use the benefits of their plant. Maximising the benefit of a biogas plant includes maximising the benefits of its main by-product, slurry. The basic steps for proper slurry are: • collection of all available manure and feeding this to the plant; • effective protection of the slurry against losses during storage; • correct composting of the slurry and; • Timely and correct application of the slurry-compost in the soil. 2. Justification. Slurry is a potent, sustainable organic fertiliser. When properly prepared and used, slurry (compost) has a greater fertilising value than composted dung and is reported superior to chemical fertilisers for crop growing [3]. The impact of proper slurry use is significant on at least the following 4 levels: farmer, company, BSP-programme and national. Farmer level: Codex performed an FIRR (financial internal rate of return) calculation for biogas plants [4], The same calculation, but with prices for fuel and chemical fertiliser updated for the end of 1997. shows that the FIRR for a typical 6 m 3 plant, excluding subsidy and NPK. of 6%, whereas the same calculation, but with NPK values included, show an FIRR reaching 18% [5]. Assuming this typical 6m 3 plant, substituting an average of 126kg of fire wood [6] per month at NRs. 2/kg, the monthly savings on energy would amount to approx. NRs. 252. Properly applying the slurry of this plant however, would substitute chemical fertiliser to a rate of at least NRs. 88 per month [7], while maximum composting could theoretically raise this value to over NRs. 500 per month. The savings thus gained could easily cover the plant costs including the loan repayment.
Company level: One of the determining factors for companies to tap the technical potential of 1.3 million biogas plants is the perception of the farmer of the benefits of the biogas plant. Proper slurry use has the potential to double these benefits (financial savings) for the owner. Making this perception operational for the plant owner will significantly increase the market-potential for the biogas company, and thus improve the sustainability of the sector as a whole. So far. relatively well to do farmers are over-represented in the biogas plant owner population [9]. One of the main challenges of BSP III is to significantly increase the share of "lower income groups". For that purpose, correct plant sizing together with proper slurry use might turn out to be the most powerful marketing tool to transfer a potential market into an effective market. Programme level: In line with the above, the donors of the programme recognised proper slurry use as one of the main objectives of the programme [15]. Meeting this objective will undoubtedly have a positive impact on decisions pertaining the prolongation of their assistance to the programme. National level: Nepal imports more than NRs. 250 million of chemical fertiliser, with a transportation subsidy of NRs. 50 million yearly. It has been estimated that by composting biogas slurry produced by the potential number (1.3 million) of family sized biogas plant (6 to 8 m3) would save 24.37 % in the purchase of Nitrogen. 28.26 % in the purchase of Phosphorus and 792 % of Potash from the projected demand (97510, 37260 and 3600 ton NPK respectively) of these nutrients for the year 1996'97 [8]. These estimates show that biogas slurry can play an important role in substituting the mineral nutrients required for Nepal [7]. Farmers, to some extent, have shown reluctance to install biogas plants because they are afraid to loose their farm yard manure. And even when installed, the slurry often is not used optimally. Farmer tend to think that slurry-manure is less in quantity and the quality is inferior to the traditional farm yard manure. In addition, handling, storage, transportation and application of the liquid slurry is often perceived problematic. 3. BSP slurry extension efforts. SEPP Against this background, with the objective of improving the proper use of slurry by biogas operating farmers, a Slurry Extension Pilot Programme (SEPP) was initiated from November 1995 to July 1996 under the Biogas Support Programme [7]. The programme was based on sponsoring of 10 slurry extension officers (SEOs) in the three biggest biogas construction companies. The main activity of the SEOs were repeated visits to farmers to make them aware about the importance of slurry use and to guide them in proper storage, composting, transporting and application. At BSP, a Slurry Specialist was hired to technically train and supervise the SEOs. Leaflets, posters and a radio discussion programme for the promotion of proper use of slurry were developed and published.
Page 1: Biogas Support Programme His Majest
Page 5 and 6: • To incorporate slurry extension
Page 7 and 8: 5. Organisational set-up. The organ
Page 9 and 10: RSEOs* SN Name of the region Duty s
Page 11 and 12: Department of Agriculture (DOA) It
Page 13 and 14: 8.1. Activities to be implemented b
Page 15 and 16: 8.2 Evaluation criteria for achievi
Page 17 and 18: To further popularise the slurry ex
Page 19 and 20: Annex-1 SEP-1 achievements against
Page 21 and 22: Annex-3.1 Proposed FTP for Slurry P
Page 23 and 24: Progress Report of the Slurry Exten
Page 25: Table2-B. Supporting activities Act

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