Adoption of biogas as a clean cooking practice and adoption of biogas slurry as a sustainable agriculture practice in tribal households in the Trimbakeshwar block of the Nashik district, Maharashtra, India

This study investigated the impact of an innovative "Integrated Renewable Energy and Sustainable Agriculture" (IRESA) intervention model, implemented in a tribal community in rural Maharashtra, India, aimed to address the dual challenges of limited access to clean cooking energy and unsustainable agricultural practice of using chemical fertilizers. The IRESA model, centred on household-level biogas units with the application of biogas slurry in crop cultivation and a social enterprise for value-added organic fertilizer production, was evaluated 3 years post-implementation to assess its sustainability and impact on livelihoods. Employing a quantitative survey approach, which included a sample of 49 households, the research examined the situation regarding cooking energy usage and application of chemical fertilizers. Findings reveal a complete adoption of biogas for cooking from ceasing the use of polluting fuels like crop residues and cow dung cakes, significantly reducing indoor air pollution and drudgery for women, thus contributing to SDG 7. A substantial decrease in annual expenditure on chemical fertilizers indicated reduced reliance on them, coupled with increased agricultural income attributed to the use of biogas slurry as an organic fertilizer, which is aligned with SDG 15. This study highlights the potential of integrated, community-driven models to promote clean energy access and sustainable agriculture, contributing valuable insights into the long-term impacts of such interventions in rural Indian contexts.