11 July 2011: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Directors has approved a project for regional technical assistance that will assist the Greater Mekong Subregion to increase the efficient use of biomass waste in agriculture to meet the need for clean energy and food security of poor rural communities.

The project, due to begin in July 2011, is funded by a US$4 million grant from the Nordic Development Fund and US$600,000 from the Governments of Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam. The ADB will administer the funds and carry out the project in the three countries. The project’s goal is to harness the use of biomass waste, including husks and animal manure, for clean energy or for use as fertilizer, in the face of the growing practice of large-scale crop production for biofuel that threatens food security by reducing food production and forest land. The project will fund pilot investment projects to scale up biomass technologies, including household biogas systems, biochar kilns, and improved cooking stoves, as well as carry out studies, build human and institutional capacity on biomass investment, and promote regional exchanges. [ADB Press Release]