Meeting with KDA

On Monday, May 14^th we visited Karatu Development Association (KDA). Karatu is a town 140 kilometers west of Arusha which borders Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara national parks. This NGO was established in 1991 with the goal of promoting sustainable development in the Karatu district. Its programs are focused on three main areas: microfinance, environment and sustainable agriculture, and support for social services. First we met Mr. Qorro, the KDA coordinator, and four of his staff members. After learning more about KDA's projects, we introduced DHE and our current projects in Arusha. In the afternoon, we went on a field visit to two local villages to see examples of KDA's biogas, stove, and microfinance programs. 

Biogas

Since 2008, KDA has developed and distributed domestic biogas systems with the technical support of Carmatech and Hivos. These systems convert cow manure and water into biogas and bio-slurry in the absence of oxygen. The biogas can be used as a fuel for cooking and lighting. So far, KDA has installed 140 plants in the Karatu district, and they plan to install another 175 by the end of 2012. The owners of the biogas system pay for the material costs, and KDA pays for the installation and any repairs within the first two years. A 9 cubic meter biogas tank costs about one million shilllings, while a 13 cubic meter tank costs 1.2-1.5 million shillings. Thus, the high initial cost of a domestic biogas system is a huge obstacle for many families. Currently only upper and upper middle income households are able to afford this renewable energy technology. 

In Bahashay, we had a tour of a farmer's biogas system. She accumulates a large pile of dung  from her 4 cows in her front yard and adds some to her 9 cubic meter biogas tank along the side of her house on a daily basis. Only two cows are needed to maintain a smaller 6 cubic meter tank. 

The domestic biogas system has three main parts: an adding and mixing chamber, digestion tank, and bio-slurry discharge pond. All three parts are connected by pipes, and another underground pipe carries biogas from the digestion tank to the kitchen stove.

The farmer was very excited to demonstrate her biogas stove. She turned on the biogas nozzle and lit a match over the burner and within seconds there was a roaring blue flame. By adjusting the nozzle, she can vary the height of the flame and the heat output. The farmer has used the stove to prepare three meals a day for the past year. In the past, she spent four to five hours per day collecting firewood, but now she can use that time to complete other domestic chores. Since the biogas stove produces no smoke and is so easy to use, even her husband has begun to help prepare meals.

The bio-slurry by-product from the biogas system is an excellent fertilizer. The farmer has used it fertilize her banana and papaya trees, and generates income from selling these fruits. 

Stoves

KDA has built and distributed 1,500 improved cook stoves throughout eleven villages. Their "rocket elbow" stove design has a horizontal chamber where firewood is added and a vertical chamber where combustion occurs and heat is channeled to the pot. It is constructed out of a framework of bricks and clay and a firebox of pumice and cement. Households using KDA's stove consume only 4 kg of firewood per day, instead of 13 kg of firewood consumed per day on typical three-stone stoves. KDA's stove program was established in 2006 but was phased put in 2008 due to lack of funding. One challenge was obtaining and transporting pumice, an insulating material found at the base of the volcanic Mt. Meru in Arusha. Thus, KDA emphasizes the importance of using locally available materials. No more stoves have been constructed since the stove program was phased out, but members of the stove building team continue to repair stoves throughout the village. 

We visited several sites in Endabash where KDA's improved cooks stoves are installed. Individuals must pay for and obtain the materials for the stove, as well as a 6,000 shilling labor fee. Unlike biogas systems, this is not a financial obstacle for most families in the village. Stove elements are fired in a kiln at the stove workshop and then installed in homes, restaurants, and schools. Although all stoves have the same basic design, each stove set-up (number of stoves, height, size of pot) differs slightly based on the needs of the client.The single, smaller stove above is used in a home. 

This stove set-up which accommodates three very large pots is used at a school to prepare lunches. Each student brings two pieces of firewood to school twice per week, which is a huge improvement over bringing firewood every day when the school was using three-stone stoves.

Microfinance

KDA's microfinance program is particularly active. It is structured somewhat differently than EARDCI's microfinance program in that clients are organized into small groups of four to six people instead of large Village Community Banks (VICOBA) with fifteen to thirty members. KDA believes that its clients are more accountable with repaying their loans when they report to a smaller, tight-knit group of friends. Most of KDA's clients are women, and their business must be at least one year old before than can receive a loan. Five to six small groups report to a center office in each village. The center office serves as a liaison between KDA and the small groups. It approves loan applications and conducts viability assessments and sustainability studies. Once a month KDA visits the center office in each village to distribute loans and receive loan payments. KDA's clients pay 2% interest on their loans each month. 

In Endabash, we ate lunch at the restaurant of one of KDA's clients and spoke to her about KDA's microfinance program. The owner has recieved several loans  ranging from one hundred thousand to one million shillings over the past five years. She has used the money to buy a dairy cow and tract of land, as well as to establish a small restaurant. The restaurant owner credits her success to KDA's microfinance program and has encouraged many of her friends to join as well. 

Clearly DHE learned a ton during our meeting and field visit with KDA. DHE should take note of the challenges faced by KDA's improved cook stove program; namely,  DHE's stove should be constructed from locally available materials. Additionally, DHE should thoroughly train members of the community on how to build and repair such stoves so that they may continue to be used long after DHE has phased out of the community. When developing stove distribution models, DHE should consider the advantages and disadvantages associated with both KDA's and EARD-CI's microfinance programs. It would be extremely valuable for summer DHE travellers working on biogas assesment to visit KDA and learn from its successful program. We give a huge thanks to Mr. Qorro and the staff at KDA for our enjoyable and informative day in Karatu!