Fuelling homes, fighting climate change, and transforming farms—with the power of waste

We don’t usually talk about animal poop, but maybe we should. In Cambodia, it’s doing more than just piling up. Thanks to a bold partnership between the National Biodigester Programme (NBP) and Nexus for Development, manure is being transformed into clean energy, fuelling kitchens, improving health, and driving a more sustainable future. 

Scaling waste to clean energy with carbon credits 

Back in 2006, Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture and SNV launched the National Biodigester Programme (NBP) with one ambitious goal: turn animal farm waste into clean energy for rural families.  

By 2018, Nexus for Development joined the effort, adding carbon finance expertise to amplify the program’s reach and climate impact. This powerful combination of local solutions and carbon finance expertise paved the way for the program to thrive, providing cleaner air, and sustainable energy for thousands of rural households.  

Cleaner air, stronger farms, better futures: Mr. Kan Nong’s Story 

In rural Kampot, Cambodia, farmer Kan Nong is just one of the 29000 farming households using this powerful solution in their daily lives. This small dome-shaped structure is transforming daily life for farmer Kan Nong. It’s not high-tech or flashy but it’s having a big impact on his family life.  

“The biodigester has made life easier,” he says. “It saves time, reduces smoke-related health risks, and keeps our surroundings clean.” 

Before installing the system, Kan Nong’s family relied on firewood, charcoal, and LPG for cooking—costly and time-consuming options that filled their home with harmful smoke. Now, they use clean biogas produced right on their farm. 

“Cooking is way more convenient with the clean biogas,” he explains. “We spent a lot before on firewood and charcoal. Now we save that money.” 

But the impact goes beyond the kitchen. The digester also produces compost fertilizer, which he turns into nutrient-rich bio-slurry for his crops. “We mix the compost into slurry and apply it every 7 to 10 days,” he says. “By 40 days, our vegetables are always ready to harvest with good quality.” 

It’s a win for his health, his wallet, and his land. “It’s efficient, cost-saving, and great for the environment,” he says with a smile. 

One biodigester, powered by waste, is giving Kan Nong and his family cleaner air, better harvests, and a brighter future. 

A blueprint for scalable carbon projects 

By 2025, the program had avoided over 1073246 tonnes of harmful carbon emissions.  

The collaboration shows how carbon projects can deliver real results for both people and the planet. By aligning carbon markets with community needs, Nexus can help to empower projects in creating a model for sustainable development that can scale across Southeast Asia. 

Driving carbon solutions with purpose and precision 

At Nexus, we help launch and scale carbon projects. Whether you’re just starting or ready to grow, our team can guide you through every step of your carbon credit journey: 

• Assess Potential: We evaluate your project’s feasibility and ensure alignment with leading global carbon standards. 

• Customize Support: Our experts provide tailored technical, financial, and operational guidance to set you up for success. 

• Drive Global Sales: We connect your project to a network of international carbon credit buyers, helping you maximize the value of your carbon credits and carbon offsets.

Ready to turn your climate vision into action? Let’s build something impactful together: nexusfordevelopment.org/get-carbon-finance