Livestock waste as alternative energy for rural households: A review

Abstract

Most livestock businesses in Indonesia are still small-scale farms located in rural areas with ruminants and poultry. BPS data for 2023, ruminant livestock and poultry amount to 63 million and 4,119 million, respectively. Ruminant livestock waste averages 15 kg/day, producing 946 million livestock waste/day. Livestock waste is used as raw material for organic fertilizer and alternative energy (biogas) for rural households. Biogas comes from gas produced through an anaerobic process from organic materials, namely human and animal waste, organic waste, household waste, and other biodegradable waste. Biogas has potential as an alternative energy source for rural households. The energy produced is environmentally friendly; biogas slurry is used as organic fertilizer, reduces carbon emissions, reduces the fossil fuel crisis, and reduces environmental pollution. However, the development of utilization of livestock waste into biogas faces obstacles, namely limited human and capital resources, as well as the number of livestock owners. Therefore, a more practical alternative energy (biogas) development strategy needs to be carried out by the government and farmers through the utilization and development of farmer groups, expanding the socialization of biogas technology, increasing the knowledge of farmers with non-formal education, and providing biogas installations in rural areas.