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BIOFARM!
A CARITAS KENYA AND PACJA PILOT COMMUNITYBASED PROJECT ON INTEGRATED CLIMATE CHANGE
ADAPTATION/MITIGATION
Mwenda Mithika/Robert G. Mutua
[email protected]
[email protected]
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?
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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-touse 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 INNOVATION
1. 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 INNOVATION
2. 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 (inputsagrochemicals/inorganic fertilizers, weeds)
• Reduced incidences of losses (harsh weather, pests
and diseases)
BIOFARM AND INNOVATION
3. 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
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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 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.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
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 RESULTS
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 enjoying
healthy environment
The 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 change
The adverse effects of CC calls us to:
• Diversification (changing the crop mix) dry-land farming
technologies
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Conservation agriculture
•
water harvesting and drip irrigation technology
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promoting innovations
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Monitor climate change events
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Disseminating information/research
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Awareness creation and advocacy
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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-tunnel
From 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 digester
From 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!