Lesson Learning Report: HSI-R 2012 SUCCESSES All field staff were asked to identify successes of the project over the last three years. The successes identified were as follows: Intervention successes:
Increased monthly income and savings status and increase in assets Success on a technical level of biogas for lighting and cooking Beneficiaries able to sell electricity to non-poor members of the community Beneficiaries made their own initiatives and created linkages to their own benefit, for example growing fodder on roadside Mortality rate of cattle was extremely low: 3 cattle deaths out of 740 cattle (one died through snakebite, and another through acute foot disease) LSPs were already established in the area and were in the project for the first 2-and-ahalf years; this was a key element in ensuring such a low death rate of cattle Good building-up of LSPs between agriculture department and local community Purchasing and bargaining capacity of beneficiaries greatly increased. Good support from local livestock department and good linkage with district livestock offices 8 biogas cooking plants were built by non-poor communities in the third year
KEY LESSONS LEARNT Based on the challenges and successes realized by field staff, they were then asked to reflect on the key lessons learnt over the last three years. Their responses were as follows: Key lessons learnt on the innovation/intervention: The importance of creating a system with good incentive structure for LSPs was realized. The system had been developed by HSI-R in a previous project, and all LSPs were recruited from that project. The LSPs started on a modest payroll (honorarium) and gradually phased off from the payroll and now earn income purely from their services. Strong communication needed between department of livestock, and with LSPs to get them to understand their role and the benefits of servicing the extreme poor. Staff reflected that if strong linkages with effective communication can be established between LSPs and local government departments then even non-technical staff, or those not trained to a high technical level, can still bring success to the project. Supplementary IGA support in the third year gave quick returns to BHHs to increase their income which had been slower than anticipated in the first two years. It was learnt that a higher and more specific support package in contingency fund for such events relating to riots was needed To establish biogas plants they needed strong dialogue between non-poor HHs and extreme poor HHs in the community. Richer HHs needed to be convinced that building of biogas on their land was also in their interest, which entailed explaining the crossbenefits including production of communal electricity. 28 | P a g e