The Sunday News
THE construction of biogas digesters for 500 farmers in Matabeleland North by the Zimbabwe Association of Pig Producers (ZAPP) working with the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) is now at an advanced state as the organisation is set to meet officials from the Ministry of Energy and Power Development to map the way forward.
In an interview last week, ZAPP Matabeleland North chairman Mr Winston Babbage said next month they intend to engage the Ministry of Energy and Power Development to discuss how they intend to set up the biogas digesters.
“Within the next month we will be meeting the officials from the Ministry of Energy and everyone involved and chart the way forward before we start rolling out the programme,” said Mr Babbage.
He said they were partnering SNV and the Rural Electrification Agency to install the biogas digesters.
“We are going to shortlist about 500 farmers in the province and SNV will be training the builders. The organisation is also going to fund about $250 for each bio-digester that is going towards payment of the builders,” said Mr Babbage.
“So far we have put one biogas digester in Pangani and Esiphezini area in as a pilot project.”
Biogas is a combustible mixture of gases produced by micro-organisms when livestock manure, human and other biological wastes such as food leftovers, grass, vegetables, among other materials are allowed to decompose in the absence of air in a closed container known as the biogas digester.
Biogas is a low-cost clean energy option and major benefits of biogas energy production include, reliable alternative low-cost energy to unsustainable firewood, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, improves groundwater protection and produces odourless organic fertiliser for agricultural use.
SNV country director, Mr Lawrence Attipoe said biogas technology was being considered as an alternative energy resource by many African countries.
He said SNV had trained a number of biogas digester builders in Zimbabwe and expected more people to embrace the alternative renewable source of energy.
“Last year, we trained 40 builders and 20 graduated recently. We want to improve the environment and also to improve the health of women as it reduces the burden on them,” said Mr Attipoe.
Zimbabwe is facing power shortages with the country’s main power utility Zesa Holdings generating about 1 200MW of electricity against national demand of over 2 000MW.
The country imports electricity from neighbouring countries to bridge the shortfall.
