After having successfully built around 6,000 domestic biogas digesters spread across eight provinces in Indonesia through the Indonesia Domestic Biogas Programme(IDBP) better known as the BIRU programme, Hivos will soon develop the biogas sector further to Lampung province,. Initially, the BIRU programme will focus on two locations: Lampung Tengah district and Metro Municipality, with a target of 300 biodigesters by the end of 2013.

Lampung Province is known as one of Indonesia’s important cattle-farming centers and is the third largest supplier of beef cattle in the country after East Java and Central Java. Cattle farming in Lampung Province contributes for 17.13 percent to the national farm production with 200,577 cows in 2006, consisting of 120,346 imported cows and 80, 231 local cows.

Cattle farming in Lampung Province also plays a part in meeting the demand for calves for the beef cattle industry in other provinces including Bengkulu, Jambi, Riau, Sumatera Barat and Aceh. A survey shows that the highest percentage (61.3 percent) of cattle owners in Lampung have less than 10 cows per household, a favorable condition for using a domestic biodigester.

To support the implementation of the program, Hivos opens opportunities for local organizations to participate in the development of the biogas sector in Lampung and become Construction Partner, responsible for building biodigesters, or Lending Partner, providing micro-credit to small farmers. A meeting with prospective potential partners will be held in mid-September 2012 in Lampung.

The Indonesia Domestic Biogas Programme is an initiative of Hivos, a Dutch development organization, and its partners in promoting access to modern forms of renewable energy.. The program is managed and implemented by Hivos with technical assistance from SNV. Started in May 2009, the program is funded by the Royal Netherlands Embassy and supported by the Directorate General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia.