Biodigesters in Uganda: From energy solution to agricultural opportunity
In Uganda, very few households have access to modern energy cooking services. Biodigesters can help solve this problem. They are not only useful for producing clean cooking fuel, they also produce a valuable by-product: bio-slurry. Farmer Richard Mugisha tells us how he uses biogas and how bio-slurry has transformed his farm.
Win-win: Clean cooking fuel and organic fertiliser
Initially, Richard Mugisha was looking for a way to reduce household expenses. He explains, "Every 5 days, I had to buy a new bag of charcoal for 85,000 shillings (€20.60). My mother-in-law lived with us, and she has diabetes. So, she had to eat something regularly." That meant using even more charcoal to cook more often for her. Training from the African Biodigester Component programme (ABC) taught Richard about the benefits of biodigesters and the biogas they produce. For him, this meant a cheaper and cleaner way to cook. And, as an entrepreneur, he saw a unique opportunity in the by-product bio-slurry.
Biodigesters break down organic material, producing biogas, a fuel which can be used for cooking. A by-product of this process is bio-slurry, a potent, organic fertiliser that farmers can sell or use for their land.
A prefab biodigester (Sistema.bio biodigester, smallest version for 1-2 cows) costs about 1.6 million shillings (€392).
With good input, a small biodigester can produce 40 litres of bio-slurry per day. 20 litres of cow manure mixed with 20 litres of water produces 40 litres of bio-slurry. Farmers can sell this bio-slurry for around 8,000 shillings (€1.96).
JERO Farm grows more than vegetables
JERO Farm is short for Jesus the Rock, "because we believe in wonders," Richard says. When he started his farm, there was no vegetation to be seen. Now, it is a centre for agroecological practices in an urban environment. By using bio-slurry, he has demonstrated how a small space can yield a much better output, illustrated by his well-growing aubergines, bananas and herbs.
Since starting this farm, he has created 11 more demo farms, allowing him to educate more people on responsible and good soil use and bio-slurry. In his training programme, he focuses on educating the youth on agriculture. Richard's wife also has an important role at JERO Farm. She is the chairwoman of a local women's network, Women of Hope, which sets up small kitchen gardens.
I am a happy farmer and an activist for clean energy! I spend so much less on soil now. Before, if I wanted to buy a bag of fertile soil, I had to pay 50,000 shillings (€11.95). But now, I use my own organic compost for my plants.
The farmer's future
Richard has big ambitions. He aims to scale up his farming activities and locations so more people can learn from his farming model and the benefits of bio-slurry, especially for degraded soil.
African Biodigester Component (ABC) and BSUL
Biogas Solutions Uganda (BSUL) builds the capacity of Biogas Enterprises (BEs). With support from lead implementers SNV and the German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, BSUL is responsible for demand and supply implementation activities under the ABC programme.
ABC is part of the Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Clean Cooking (SEE-Clean Cooking) Programme. ABC carries out activities in partnership with the Energising Development (EnDev) programme.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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