A Community Participatory Intervention Model To Reduce The Health Risks From Biogas Wastewater in Hanam Province, Vietnam

INTRODUCTIONIn Vietnam, livestock production has been rapidly developing, i.e. increasing in thenumber of animals in general, and in animal size/number of households inparticular. Waste in animal livestock amounted to 85 million tons per year and 37million tons of wastewater per year (Vietnam rural agriculture, 2014). A largeamount of waste is directly disposed to the environment, causing environmentalpollution and adverse impacts on human health.

To address this situation, biogas system have applied to treat livestock waste incommonly, in particular at the smallholder farms. However, most of smallholderfarms have not yet used the biogas correctly then biogas wastewater could affecthealth and environment. We applied transdisciplinary and communityparticipatory approach (called Ecohealth approach) in research to improveknowledge and practice of farmer for better operation of biogas systems andtreatment of waste.

The transdisciplinary approach is likely to be adopted widely in the interventionprogram, particilar intervention programs to change the agriculture and ruralissues. Community priorities should be determined by local people. Thencommunity problem will be solved by knowledge of scientists and practicalexperience of local people co-operation. It is core competency of the ecosystemapproach to health.

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Luu Quoc Toan, Nguyen Mai Huong, Nguyen Tien Thanh, Pham Thi Huong Giang, Hanh Tran-Thi-Tuyet, Tran Minh Hang, Dinh Xuan Tung, Phuc Pham-Duc, Hung Nguyen-VietCenter for Public Health and Ecosystem Research, Hanoi University of Public Health

OBJECTIVESThe intervention program aimed to:• Develop and implement a set of interventions tools by participatory of

transdisciplinary sectors.• Improved knowledge and practices of farmer for better operation of biogas

systems and treatment of waste.

RESULTSPhase 1: Develop intervention toolsIntervention tools package were obtained that including village law (“Huong uoc”) on

environmental protection, a guideline of 6-step program of pig cage cleaning, a health monitoring books for humans and animals, a information calenda.

Contact:Luu Quoc ToanEmail: lqt@huph.edu.vn

Address: 241 Hoang Tang Bi – Bac Tu Liem – HanoiTel: (+84) 4.62733162 - Fax: (+84) 4.62733172Website: http://cenpher.huph.edu.vn/english/research/fbli

1 2 … 23 24

Core famer group

COMMUNITY

Researcher

group

Core farmer

group (24 hhs)

Intervention

tools6

m

o

n

t

h

s

Phase 1

Develop intervention tools:

• Core farmer group

• Guideline and

communication tools

Phase 2

Implement intervention at

core farmer group:

• Pilot intervention tools

• Training core farmer group

Phase 3

Implement intervention

Poster showing proper steps in biogas process Poster Village law

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Phase 2: Implement intervention at core farmer group

8%

16%

16%

58%

58%

34%

50%

50%

34%

42%

50%

42%

42%

58%

50%

50%

50%

42%

50%

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Environmental sanitation

Biogas

Human health risks

Huong Uoc

6-step model

Biogas calendar

Handbook

Huong Uoc poster

# OF PARTICIPANTS

KN

OW

LED

GE

INTE

RV

ENTI

ON

1 2 3 4 5Strongly dissatisfied Strongly satisfied

Phase 3: Implement intervention

ACKNOWLEDGMENTThis poster presentation and travel award are made possible by thegenerous support of the American people through the United StatesAgency for International Development (USAID). The contents are theresponsibility of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect theviews of USAID or the United States Government.

985.7 957.1

256.6 231.9 227.0

0.0

237.5

66.7

-37.225.5

-200.0

0.0

200.0

400.0

600.0

800.0

1000.0

1200.0

K-operating biogas K-maintainancebiogas

K-safety for usingbiogas

P-Monitoring loadingwaste and wastewater

out

P-using protectors

%

Intervention

Control

METHODSIntervention studies comparing with the control group before and after wasapplied. The research sites were Hoang Tay and Chuyen Ngoai commune in Hanamprovince during 2015. In the filed, farmers lived in biogas households that wereinvited to the research as target subjects. Total of 399 participated farmers weredevided to control group and intervention group that were accounted 255 and 144,respectively. The Intervention are implemented in six months for around. Develop

interventiontools, pilot andtraining, applyingthat were maincomponents ofintervention.Core farmergroup is the keypartner thatmadesustainability ofintervention.

Figure 1. Satisfaction regarding knowledge and interventions within core group farmer

CONCLUSION• Communication by community participatory is effective

approach that made to improve properly knowledge andpractice of farmer in using biogas.

• Core group farmer is important factor of communityparticipatory approach.

Figure 2. Evaluation for changing knowledge and practice of farmer in operating biogas by intervention