Bhutan?s per capita fuel wood consumption remains one of the highest, at 1.2 tonnes an individual a year. 2005 UNDP case study publication, called macroeconomics of poverty reduction in Bhutan, stated that an average household of five individuals uses roughly 12m3 of wood a year; which is equivalent to about10 trees. About 70% of this amount is used by households for cooking and heating. To reduce dependence on fuel wood consumption and emission of GHG, Choling Yargay Detshen (local CBO of Hangay, Samtse) through the support of GEF-SGP, UNDP piloted the first biogas project in Bhutan. The first biogas plant was lit on 5th December 2010 at Hangay, Samtse. Over the next six months other 24 households got their biogas plants established.

1. The installation of biogas plants have completely eliminated the use of fuel wood for their cooking and helped reduce carbon emission significantly. Before the project every household used about four trees per year for their firewood. Now they do not cut down any trees ? directly saving about 100 fully grown trees a year, in terms of reduction in CO2 emission is accounted over 160 tons annually.
2. Farmers, in particular children and women have saved considerable amount of time and energy from not having to go to jungle to collect fuel wood including risks to their lives from wild animals. Women can now use the spare time in productive activities.
3. Health and hygiene of the families? have improved significantly; households? report of over 50% reduction in incidences related to eye soars, and cold and cough.
4. Through the use of bio-slurry, farmers have increased production of organic vegetables. It has contributed to household income generation, improved family nutrition and reduced import from India.
5. Enhanced soil productivity due to the use of bio-slurry and reduction in the use of chemical fertilisers.
6. Over 25 acre of barren land is planted with fodder plants and sustainably managed by the community. This has eased labor and reduced pressure on environment in addition to improved nutrition of their cattle, leading to nutritious organic production.
7. Considering the success of the pilot biogas project of GEF-SGP, UNDP, biogas plant establishment in Bhutan is being up-scaled through the Bhutan Biogas Project, a joint programme of Asian Development Bank (ADB), Department of Renewable Energy (DRE), Department of Livestock (DoL), SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and Bhutan Development Bank Ltd (BDBL). The project started in March 2011 and established over 1122 biogas plants as of June 2014. The project targets to establish 1600 biogas plants by the end of the project in 2014.
8. As an offshoot of the biogas initiative and to increase the household income, the CBO has established an ice-cream manufacturing unit, first of its kind in the country. Before, a litre of milk would fetch Nu. 30 (or US $0.50). Now with the same litre of milk, by making ice cream, they earn about Nu. 400 ($6.67). Unlike imported ice-creams available in Bhutan, most of which are made of processed milk powder with preservatives; this ?made in Bhutan? ice-cream is made from fresh milk and purely organic. Besides ice cream, the unit also produces cottage cheese, yogurt and butter. The unit also benefits other neighbouring villages ? by providing a ready market for their milk and income generation.