How new bio digester is helping farmers to produce organic foods

As cancer cases continue to rise, there is increased concern that the foods being consumed could be a contributing factor. Owing to that realisation, more crop producers are looking for ways to produce food free of chemicals.

One of the investors seeking to provide solutions to attain this — organic foods production—is Cedrick Todwell, the Global Commercial Director at Sistema Biobolsa.

Todwell, has developed a biogas solution called Sistema that offers cooking gas and residue used as organic fertiliser.

So how does the system work?

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“With this natural fertiliser, one has no need to use chemicals on their crops. And the godness of foods produced organically is that they fetch more in the markets,” he says.

The fertiliser can be spread on avocados, vegetables and bananas, grain farms and other crops leading to a healthy and bumper harvest.

“Our aim was to create a solution that is affordable and handy to farmers. It also addresses issue of environment degradation,” says Todwell.

Easy to use

And it is simple to use.

“After the cow feeds on grass it is digested and it poops, then the work begins. The system converts the poop into cooking gas and organic fertiliser,” Todwell explains.

The modern bio digester technology is movable and can be built in three hours unlike the traditional bio digester that requires more time and spacious land to set up.

The technology includes anaerobic reactor, inlet of 200L, fertiliser outlet and storage, cook stove, 35 metres gas line, H2S filter, pressure relief valve, two water tramps and protective geotextile.

With the new technology, a farmer requires a minimum of two cows to start enjoying benefits of the bio digester and pays monthly instalments of between Sh4,000 and Sh8,000 within a year, depending on size. It can also work with waste from pigs and poultry.

Todwell further explains that the system is an airtight hybrid reactor that receives daily waste from the farm and mixes with water.

After fermenting, biogas is produced and conveyed through pipes to the points of use. From the process, organic fertiliser is also produced.

Various farmers have already embraced the technology.

Farmers’ experiences

Recently, a Sistema team visited George Kariuki, a farmer in Karatina town, Kiambu County to check on his biogas project.

Mr Kariuki a dairy farmer who acquired the new bio digester has also started producing organic coffee.

He began using Sistema last year and says his cost of farming has reduced significantly because he now makes his own organic fertiliser.

“Sistema biogas system is more efficient and produces more gas, enough for my household and organic fertiliser for my coffee farm,” says Kariuki.

He has become a champion of Sistema among his friends in the county and other rural areas.

For the smallest unit (Sistema 6) a person is required to pay deposit of Sh7,790 with 12 equal installments of Sh4,443. The price ranges

The costs

Price vary depending on size but a customer gets some discount when buying on cash.

“Our product comes with a 10-year warranty and we offer after-sale services. For example, after installation we visit a farmer after 30 days, second visit after 90 days and third visit after 120 days to ensure the system is working well,” says Todwell.

The farmer is only required to pay 20 per cent of the total amount for the bio digester to be installed and then the remaining amount is paid in installments for 12 months.

The farmer pays for the amount in installments without being charged interest.

Kenya biogas programme, a government agency has been supporting the company through the SNV programme that offers farmers a subsidy of Sh9,000 per unit.

It has helped with market access and quality control.

Most of the material for the bio digester are imported from Mexico but tubes and connectors are from local manufacturers.

Right timing

The main challenge is the slow clearance of the containers at the port before the material is released for distribution and installation on farms.

“The major challenge we are facing is slow clearance for containers at the Port which takes sometimes eight weeks hence the burden of storage charges at the port warehouse,” says Todwell.

He says the government should ensure fast clearance of containers or else continuous delays will discourage  investors.

So far,  2,000 units have been installed in Kiambu, Murang’a, Kericho, Eldoret and Kisumu.

Soil fertility

The new bio digester comes at a time when the Government is strategising on how to make households shift from over relying on kerosene and firewood to gas.

At the same time, organic farming is also becoming a trend as lifestyle diseases rise in numbers.

With organic farming, farmers rely on natural processes, organic fertilisers and biological pest control methods to boost soil fertility or manage pests and diseases.

According to a report by Strathmore University; tomatoes, kale (Sukuma wiki), amaranth (mchicha) and mangoes sold in major Kenyan towns have high pesticide residue.

Another previous study conducted by Koan found that food sold in common Nairobi markets was laced with excess chemicals above World Health Organisation recommended safety levels.