BIOFARM!A CARITAS KENYA AND PACJA PILOT COMMUNITY-BASED

PROJECT ON INTEGRATED CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION/MITIGATION

Mwenda Mithika/Robert G. Mutua

gichungerobert@yahoo.comcaritas@dioceseofmeru.org

All these initiatives are in Kamutune demonstration farm

WHAT IS IT?• A type of organic farming developed

to cushion communities from effects of climate change

• Offers alternative development pathway that is more sustainable

• In a climate-constrained future, innovative livelihood options must be developed

• Biofarm is one such innovative way to sustainably utilise the diminishing natural resources.

DESCRIPTION?• Biofarm in adaptation and mitigation • Biofarm and sustainable development • Biofarm and modern technology• Biofarm and

health/environment/ecology• Biofarm and innovation/enterprise

development

• Biofarm and gender empowerment• Biofarm and natural resource

management (NRM)

Biofarm!• Components are zero-grazing unit, biogas plant

and an organic garden, promoted together with water harvesting as a single unit.

• Also involves sustainable water management, i.e rain water harvesting, storage and use.

• Promotes innovations, inventions and use of technology i.e; plastic digesters, biogas incubators/brooders and generators, drip irrigation in organic agriculture

• Biofarming is the ability to “recharge nature” – tree planting, water use, responsible use of energy, recycling, conservation (closed energy system)

Biofarm!• In a Biofarm!, there is a symbiotic relationship

between components; Cattle stable, Biogas plant, RWH system, Organic garden are connected to each other by a umbilical cord such that none can survive without each other!

• It combines innovation and appropriately easy-to-use traditional organic farming methods with scientific knowledge of ecology and modern technology.

More than organic farming, more than biogas…

• Evaluation of biogas and organic farming projects in Kenya and the rest of the world; The Biofarm attempts to bridge the gaps in adoption/uptake and sustainability

• For traditional biogas projects, energy is the main driving force!

• For convenctional organic farming projects, reduced or no use of inorganic chemicals and fertilizers is the main objective!

WHY BIOFARM?…• Biofarming (biofarmer) aims to promote an

integrated animal husbandry, innovative use of biogas to produce clean fuel, power income generating enterprises and act as the main source of organic fertilizer for organic garden which utilizes rain and waste water for small-scale irrigation.

The driving force of Biofarm is responsible use of resources for sustainable food production and income generation!

BIOFARM AND INNOVATION1. Rain water harvesting technologies; conventional

ferro-cement, plastic and masonry tanks being replaced by cheaper RWH technologies like underground rubble-lined tanks, underground HDPE lined ponds.

RESULTS• Reduction in costs of harvesting and storage per

cubic meter of water.• Increase in storage capacity (volume)• Increase in productivity(outcome)

BIOFARM AND INNOVATION2. Organic farming; Effective water use through drip

irrigation, greenhouse farming and dry-land farming technologies.

RESULTS• Effective use of water for increased yields (yields

per acre and acreage).• Costs of production

(inputs-agrochemicals/inorganic fertilizers, weeds)• Reduced incidences of losses (harsh weather,

pests and diseases)

BIOFARM AND INNOVATION3. Bio gas utilization; Biogas and

industrialization/enterprise development; use of biogas in incubation and brooding in poultry farming.

RESULTS• Costs reduction compared to electricity,

petrol/kerosine and wood fuel to power incubators and brooders

• Risks and reliability ( stand by sources of power)

More than organic farming, more than biogas…• Biofarm is more than biogas, more than organic

farming and more than animal husbandry! • It is a solution to weather-related setbacks affecting

smallholder producers who also face diminishing returns on their farm products due to population pressure, degraded soils and water scarcity.

• A feasibility study commissioned by Biogas for Better Life in Kenya found out that Biogas technology has not picked up in Kenya because it is expensive to maintain alone.

• It has always been viewed in isolation as a primary source of domestic energy.

More than organic farming, more than biogas…• On the other hand, organic farming projects in Kenya

depend more on subsidies offered as incentives which are not sustainable and only address the interests of the consumer/market

• A normal Organic farm relies on external sources to generate green manure/compost without necessarily worrying about its source or existence of animals as primary sources. An organic farmer can thus produce organic products even without animals.

• Biofarm! Addresses this by bringing in other components to compliment the system making it more sustainable and attractive to farmers.

Biofarm! /Climate change mitigation• The Biogas component will reduce the amount

of methane directly released into the atmosphere, by trapping it and facilitating its use as a green fuel.

• In addition, the shift to biogas reduces forest degradation, thus serving as carbon sink

• Organic farming minimizes the use chemical fertilizers which are sources of GHGs

• Tree planting is a component of the biofarm model, and this will increase the forest cover

SUMMARY OF RESULTSSUMMARY OF RESULTS

Three year pilot project by PACJA and Caritas Kenya

– A standard biogas plant of 16m3 in the pilot project in Kamutune Community Resource Centre-Meru County translates to 0.5 Ha of forest each year saved in terms of wood fuel requirements

– The proposed 3m3 for 500 households surrounding the Mt. Kenya forest to be Biofarmers will save more than 150Ha of the forest every year.

Three year pilot project by PACJA and Caritas Kenya

– A standard biogas plant of 16m3 in the pilot project in Kamutune Community Resource Centre-Meru County translates to 0.5 Ha of forest each year saved in terms of wood fuel requirements

– The proposed 3m3 for 500 households surrounding the Mt. Kenya forest to be Biofarmers will save more than 150Ha of the forest every year.

SUMMARY OF RESULTSSUMMARY OF RESULTSCont…….

– The use of renewable energy reduces the CO2-emissions through a reduction of the demand for fossil fuels. Capturing uncontrolled methane emissions, the 2nd most important GHG is reduced!

• The three grade cattle at KCRC produces an average of 0.35m3 of manure = 8m3 biogas = 52 kWh gross = 13 kg CO2- emissions

• 8m3 biogas (up to 65% CH4) = 4 lts fossil fuel = 12.8 kg CO2

• 8m3 biogas = 44 kg fire wood = 88 kg CO2

Cont…….– The use of renewable energy reduces the CO2-emissions

through a reduction of the demand for fossil fuels. Capturing uncontrolled methane emissions, the 2nd most important GHG is reduced!

• The three grade cattle at KCRC produces an average of 0.35m3 of manure = 8m3 biogas = 52 kWh gross = 13 kg CO2- emissions

• 8m3 biogas (up to 65% CH4) = 4 lts fossil fuel = 12.8 kg CO2

• 8m3 biogas = 44 kg fire wood = 88 kg CO2

SUMMARY OF RESULTSSUMMARY OF RESULTSCont…….

• By extending the KCRC findings to a single household;– Sampled household size (6 persons) had an average per

capita consumption of 4 kg of wood per day for energy (cooking, heating and boiling water; type of food was 90% maize and beans-Githeri) 17 kWh (equivalent to 1USD per day of electricity) which could be covered by about 3m3 of biogas.

– Annually, 1,460 kgs of wood per household = 6,200KWh (370 USD per year). A 3m3 biogas plant can save more than one and half tons of firewood or 0.3 acres of forest per year.

Cont…….

• By extending the KCRC findings to a single household;– Sampled household size (6 persons) had an average per

capita consumption of 4 kg of wood per day for energy (cooking, heating and boiling water; type of food was 90% maize and beans-Githeri) 17 kWh (equivalent to 1USD per day of electricity) which could be covered by about 3m3 of biogas.

– Annually, 1,460 kgs of wood per household = 6,200KWh (370 USD per year). A 3m3 biogas plant can save more than one and half tons of firewood or 0.3 acres of forest per year.

Earning money while Earning money while enjoying healthy enjoying healthy

environmentenvironmentThe magic of Biofarm!Carbon offset schemes are now buying credits An average biogas plant of 16m3 can reduce greenhouse

gas emissions by up to 5 – 10 tons of CO2 annually. In case CDM and voluntary markets purchase these offsets by say 5 to 10 Euros per ton, this would provide households with an estimated average income of 30 – 40 Euros (Shs.3000 – 4000 ) per year.

Other sources of income in future if we preserve our forests: REDDs; Kenya has already been selected by WB for a pilot project in forest investment partnership

Biofarm! In adapting to climate changeBiofarm! In adapting to climate change

The adverse effects of CC calls us to: • Diversification (changing the crop mix) dry-land farming

technologies• Conservation agriculture• water harvesting and drip irrigation technology• promoting innovations• Monitor climate change events• Disseminating information/research• Awareness creation and advocacy• Building the capacity of farmers

Organic farming ….. Green house technology

Organic farming cont … drip irrigation

Vegetables grown under drip irrigation in an open

field

Organic farming cont …. Nursery establishment

Biogas technology-tunnelFrom the zero grazing unit, the dung is collected and channeled through this tunnel that leads to the digestion chamber.In this tunnel, one is able to separate feeding residue from the dung and urine which are the key ingredients for biogas production.

Biogas technology- unit digesterFrom the zero grazing unit, the dung is collected and channeled through this tunnel that leads to the digestion chamber.In this tunnel, one is able to separate feeding residue from the dung and urine which are the key ingredients for biogas production.

Biogas technology- biogas stove

Rain water harvesting techniques

INTEGRATED BIOGAS AND ORGANIC FARMING

Thank you!