Biogas and bio-fertilizer pilot in Teso

Piloting clean, labour-saving energy as a climate-smart technology in Katakwi and Kaberamaido.

Why it matters

Every one of the 20 host households cooked with firewood, burning about 50 kg a day each, with the cost to health, time and forests that brings.

Objectives

To pilot clean, safe and labour-saving energy as a climate-smart technology for gender-responsive transformation and climate mitigation, by fabricating and installing 20 biogas and bio-fertilizer systems.

What we did

• Held sensitisation workshops in both districts with district, sub-county and farmer group leaders
• Trained youth and women as artisans to fabricate, install and maintain Flexi-Biogas, each with a business canvas
• Installed one digester at each host household and trained it in feeding, maintenance and bio-slurry use
• Translated the operating and troubleshooting manual into local languages
• Measured the CO₂ offset and ran a cost-benefit analysis of replacing firewood with biogas

Results

• 20 Flexi-Biogas and bio-fertilizer units of 9 m³ fabricated and installed, ten in each district
• 42 youth and women trained as biogas artisans
• Over 250 smallholder farmers trained in biogas use and bio-fertilizer application
• A business model developed for youth and women to sell, install and service biogas systems
• About 777 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent avoided each year by replacing firewood, by the project’s own estimate

Challenges and how we responded

• Prolonged drought cut the amount and quality of cow dung, so gas output varied
• Households often walk long distances for the water needed to mix feedstock
• Upkeep fell mostly on women; household sessions now stress that men and youth share it
• Installations are far apart, so we trained community focal points to give first-line support