This archive report was first published on 5 January 2022.
On January 5, 2022, Kisumu County marked a significant milestone in its efforts to combat climate change by completing its first pilot project of constructing a biodigester at the Ahero Vocational Training Centre in Nyando Sub-county.
The project, funded by the European Union, aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of biogas technology in providing safe and environmentally friendly ways of waste disposal and recovery, creating a climate-sensitive environment.
The biodigester converts animal waste into high-quality fertilizer used for agricultural production and clean and renewable gas for cooking, lighting, and running small farms equipment.
Water, Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change CEC Salmon Orimba expressed optimism in the success of the pilot project, stating that it would steer his department to replicate the initiative to all other Vocational Training Centres in the region.
Over 80 per cent of households in the lakeside city are still highly dependent on unclean sources of energy for cooking, such as firewood, charcoal, and paraffin.
The biogas technology will be a game-changer in the region, providing invaluable benefits to communities and the environment.
The dome model bio-digester has a capacity of 10 cubic meters and generates up to 3 cubic meters of gas daily to supplement the cooking energy needs of the learning institution.
The bio-slurry (exhausted dung) is used in the school farm by Agri-business students for their practical training on various applications to boost their skills and increase farm productivity.
Students pursuing masonry and plumbing courses also participated in the construction of the biodigester, building their technical capacities and know-how for sustainability and future installations.
The county has organized training for biogas technicians and awareness sessions to promote biogas technologies and the benefits that this solution can bring to the city and its residents.
