Reducing Natural Resource Degradation by Introducing Biogas Technology to Qezel Village of Kermanshah Province: An Action Research Approach

In developing countries poverty is more prevalent and usually deeper in rural regions than in urban areas. The rural poor depend on natural resources for their subsistence, and their behaviour affects a significant portion of those resources. In many developing countries such as Iran, environmental resources are used mainly as inputs in household production or in small-scale production units. Among small-scale rural technology, biogas plants present a suitable alternative option for preserving environmental resources from deforestation, land degradation, and desertification. The purpose of this qualitative research is to introduce biogas technology to one of the poor and degraded communities in Qezel village of eastern Kermanshah Province. A focus group of twenty rural residents was organized to identify potential users of the polyethylene biogas plant. During focus group discussions, one household who showed interest in the project was specifically selected. A four step cyclical action research process was used as a guiding principle to introduce and set up a biogas plant among a Qezel rural household. Recommendations are given based on the result of the study. Results revealed that a rural household in Qezel village welcomed biogas technology and found it to be useful in their cooking tasks. The implications of this study suggest that policy makers should launch a national biogas programme across the country.