Latin American experiences in the democratization of biodigesters

SUMMARY
The objective of this document is to present the international experiences, principally Latin American, with respect to the democratising strategies of biodigesters, directed at small and medium scale farmers. Firstly, the biodigesters will be presented; their function, products and types of system.
Then the basis for national biogas programs and how they function will be explained. Following this, the only Latin American experience of this type of program, which took place in Nicaragua, will be presented, and will be augmented with descriptions of other initiatives of the democratisation of biodigesters outside the context of national programs, in countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Bolivia. Finally, a variety of specific aspects of national biogas programs and regional experiences will be considered to evaluate the Ecuadorian context, with regard to the potential development of a strategy of democratisation of biodigesters among small and medium scale agricultural farmers.