Project Results
Immediate benefits received by the recipient community:
1. Ecological results
? With the implementation of the micro hydro system, it has reduced the use of fossil fuels, thereby reducing greenhouse emission and global warming.
? The established protected water-catchment and community forest areas will help maintain ecological balance of the area and preserve biodiversity.
? The protection and preservation of river and water resources for sustainable use.
? Soil erosion minimized by protecting and maintaining forest growth through replanting of trees. It will also result in increase of clean freshwater and river.
2. Community results
? The successful implementation of the project improved the living condition of the community with the reliable energy supply for lighting and uses of other electrical appliances like washing machines, refrigerator, fans, radios and televisions.
? The community are no longer depending on fossil fuel energy like before, and could have their saving for other household essentials and need.
? In addition, the convenience outlet/sockets for radios and battery chargers (for touch lights and mobile phones) have improved communication for the community to the outside world.
? The micro hydro power system is locally owned, operated and maintained by the community for sustainable use of clean renewable electricity in the rural area.
? This project means substantial financial saving for the community as community save from purchasing of diesel to generate their generator.
? Women group have more time on socio economic activity. Women are able to do their work at night with the availability of lighting facility. They can do their handicraft works like sewing, weaving, embroideries, etcs.
? Because the watershed is now the source of power for the micro hydro system, the community is more interested in protecting their water-catchment and forest area.
Long Term Benefits:
? The conservation of the established watershed and forest areas help in the preservation of the environment and the forest.
? The establishment of the micro hydropower system therefore promote the conservation of forest and biodiversity through the protection of watersheds/water-catchment area that is an important source of water to run the turbine and clean water supply with intact rainforest ecosystem.
? Increase awareness level of the people and other communities regarding renewable source of energy and the need to preserve rivers and protect water-catchments and forests.
? Policy advocacy: With the completion of the community-led micro-hydro power system project, it hope that it would provide another compelling reason for the governments (State and Federal) to consider investing in many more micro-hydro system for rural electrification to displace green house emitting diesel generators.
New Developments faced in the implementation of the project:
1. River conservation and water resource management
? The community is now aware on the importance of water resource management particularly the conservation of watershed that provides clean water for their micro hydropower system and rivers, which they are motivated to protect. As an integrated approach to water resource management initiative, the community have identified the following:
1) River conservation
- Tagal System, which is the traditional practice of resource management in controlled utilization of fish and other aquatic species. Through this system it would enhance rehabilitation and conservation of the river through the creation of river buffer zone, reparation of fish habitats and fishes enrichment as well as improve the water quality and flows of river.
- Planting of Trees along the riverbanks and within the river buffer zone to strengthen river bank from collapsing and prevent soil erosion.
2) Watershed and forest conservation
- The conservation of watershed and forest is integral to the long term operational of micro-hydropower system. This is because the system can only function if there are sufficient flows of water to run the turbine. As holistic approach, the entire catchment area of the river that supply water and support the running of the micro hydropower system have to be conserve and fully protected.
2. Home stay and Eco Tourism Programme
? With it strategic location and surrounding rainforest, the village has great potential to be developed and promoted for home-stay and eco tourism programme. The village are rich in natural attractions such as rivers, waterfalls, jungle trails and mountains as well as social and cultural aspect of the indigenous community.
? They are still practising traditional farming which tourists can learn on.
? Community are interested to embark on ecotourism since the implementation of the micro hydro project with compelling reasons that:
- The community project gives an added value product, its micro hydropower project and forest conservation.
- Future influx of visitors to Bakun dam. With the completion of Bakun Hydroelectric dam it is expected that there will be more visitors to Bakun dam site as the government is also planning to make it as tourist attraction in the state. The community can tape the opportunity to showcase their Community-based Micro Hydro system in Mudung Abun which is located along Bakun road and just 16 kilometres away from Bakun dam.
- This programme will eventually improve the community livelihoods and also support the operation and management of their micro-hydropower project.
3. Capacity Building
? The community needs further capacity building in the operation and management of their micro-hydropower system particularly enhancing knowledge and skill on technical aspect of micro-hydropower, mechanical & electrical failures and basic knowledge electrical appliances and usage.
? Community needs training on basic business skill, management, enterprise development for them to embark onto socio-economic activities.
- Programme processes & planning for community home-stay and ecotourism
- Handicrafts with value addition to Non Timber Forest Products (NTTP) through improvement in designs, packaging and quality for their products as well as to develop marketing network.
- This will enhance the skills of the community in developing the farm outputs and jungle produces into value-added products that are marketable and appealing to the end users.
? Capacities of the community are necessary to provide them skills in enterprise development, leadership and management of their future projects.
3. Exposure trip cum Networking
? Social mobilization: Community need to be exposed to other similar community-based project. This will widen the knowledge and vision of community members to develop their project and certain areas of potential that they have learned from other communities. The networking of communities will enhance sharing of knowledge in handling community project particularly the management and maintenance of their micro hydro project in future.
