Pollution minimizing at traditional craft village by micro-credit program - case study from Tan Phu Dong rice powder production village

Abstract

This paper introduces the results of a project initiated by Cantho University (CTU) on the introduction of micro-credits for addressing the environmental pollution in Vietnam's craft villages. At Tan Phu Dong, a traditional rice powder production village in Sa Dec, Dong Thap, all wastes from domestic and production activities and animal husbandry were freely disposed into open water sources. This practice led to a negative impact on the local environment. With the financial support provided by the Bread for the World (BfdW), a micro-credit program was initiated in which farmers could borrow money to construct a biogas plant to treat animal husbandry and domestic wastes. In addition, the staff transferred biogas plant construction technology to the local masons and organized training courses on biogas plant operation and maintenance and biogas usage for the farmers and the local officials. 61 farmers borrowed money from the program to construct their biogas plants, followed by more than 250 farmers that constructed their biogas plants by their own finance after realizing the positive benefits of biogas plants. As result, the environmental pollution issue was solved step-by-step, thereby helping enhance the living conditions of the local community.