Amos Nguru from Afrisol Energy Limited, a local company that installs biogas, said the system takes in cow dung and converts it into gas. The gas is then used for cooking and lighting purposes while the bio slurry goes into farming to enrich the soil.
“This biogas has many benefits, including provision of fuel, which replaces firewood. In the end, this reduces deforestation and promotes forest cover. The other advantage is that farmers can do other economic activities as the biogas saves on time spent in collecting firewood," Nguru said.
He added that biogas saves the farmer from indoor pollution. Most kitchens are small and they inhale smoke when they are using firewood, but with biogas, they are able to breath in clean air hence reduce smoke-related illnesses.
He added that the slurry that flows out is good for farming and it is used to enrich the soil, hence increase production.
Nguru said the cost of installing a biogas system is between Sh80,000 to Sh100,000. This is inclusive of the digester, the gas piping and the gas cooker.
“The price varies from the excavation cost and the piping distance but Sh80, 000 is enough to do a basic system. But to cut on costs, a farmer can provide labour on the excavation of where the digester will be placed and in building of trenches for piping,” he said.
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation director general Eliud Kireger said the bio-digesters have been made possible by the government and the World Bank through the Kenya Climate-Smart Agriculture Project.
He said the technology reduces costs of fuel in households almost by a half. The technology is also expected to ensure there is food and nutrition security which will boost incomes for more than 5,000 households by 2022.
The director noted that it is critical to ensure that the technologies provided to farmers are functional and well-suited for their energy and bio-fertiliser requirements.
He pointed out that local climate actions are tied to the country’s global mitigation commitment.
Currently, Kenya’s National Determined Contribution (NDC) targets to cut emissions by 32 per cent by 2030, compared to a business-as-usual scenario of 143 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission.
“It is our belief that the Kenyan cooking sector will offer a significant prospect for climate action and sustainable development. A bio-digester intervention is considered as one strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
According to the Kenya Biogas Programme, the average ton of deforestation prevented by construction of one bio-digester is 1.08 tonnes per year.
In addition, construction of one bio-digester reduces an equivalent of 13.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
“Climate change continues to be a key issue in the global development and sustainability goals. You and I must ensure that we consume less energy, reduce wastage and use renewable energy. These efforts can go a long way in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Interventions like the one we are witnessing today can make a significant contribution to the nation's contribution to climate carbon emission reduction,” Kireger said.
The initiative will be extended to neighbouring Nyeri county and Taita-Taveta in the coast region.
