The latest round of funding from the UNDP and the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) will enable the implementation of eight biogas projects in Samoa.

The announcement of the implementation of the eight biogas projects – seven in Upolu and one in Savai'i – was announced in a media release issued by the UNDP and the GEF-SGP facility on Friday afternoon. This is the first time the UNDP and GEF-SGP joint project has supported biogas projects in Samoa. 

The use of biogas – largely considered a clean energy source that recycles organic waste into renewable energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions – is part of the nation-wide push for renewable energy consumption to minimise the heavy reliance on traditional fuel sources.

A total of 35 community projects are being funded under this new grant totalling more than SAT$1,600,000.

Tanumapua Baptist Church Project Coordinator, Edwin Tamasese, said they were excited to be part of the project and realise the benefits that it will bring to the community.

“The Tanumapua Baptist Church is blessed to be a part of this exciting opportunity where we are being provided with these biogas units," he said. 

"The benefit we will have through being able to make our own cooking gas, the health benefits from not having to be exposed to smoke while cooking, and the organic fertilisers that the units provide will be life changing for our community group.

"We can't thank GEF-SGP enough for supporting our project."

Other key thematic areas the new funding is supporting include organic farming, waste management, marine reserves, mangroves replanting, gender empowerment, collaboration, innovation, policy approaches, and scaling up of existing smaller projects.

A Saleaumua youth representative, Leuluaitumua Richard Tafua, talked of the benefits to the community with the grant now approved. 

“This grant will enable our community to contribute to a green environment through waste management and healthy living by encouraging our youth to champion the environment cause and be proactive in piloting vegetable keyhole gardens,” said Leuluaitumua. 

An inception workshop was held on Friday in Savai'i and on Thursday in Upolu to sign an agreement between the successful community applicants and SGP and to hand over their grants.

The Lalomanu Village Women’s Committee's Project Coordinator, Aolele Robert Pereira, was ecstatic that their project proposal was approved.

“On behalf of our group, we would like to thank SGP for the informative workshop. We are delighted that our proposal is one of the fortunate ones,” said Aolele.

The UNDP Resident Representative Jorn Sorensen emphasised the vital role of local communities, civil society and the indigenous population in addressing global challenges. 

“Today’s inception workshop highlights the important role of local communities, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples as key agents of change to address global challenges including climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss," said Mr. Sorensen. 

"It also underscores the important role of partnerships and financing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals."

Since its establishment in Samoa in 2003, the SGP has supported environment-focused programmes, delivering an estimated USD$5.2 million for about 300 small grant projects on climate knowledge and advocacy, capacity building, financing, technology transfer, adaptation and mitigation.