Robert, one of the directors of the Mukurwe-ini Wakulima Dairy Limited, told Teresa Mellish that the bio-gas generator on his farm changed their lives.
He showed us the biogas generator which was installed in March 2007. Robert farms on steep land so the bio gas unit is located above his house.
He puts one bucket of manure from his dairy cows and two buckets of water into one end of the heavy gauge plastic tube each day. He takes the same amount of composted manure from the other end of the tube each day.
The composted manure is put on his napier grass to fertilize the grass and is used to grow kale for family consumption.. The nutrients in the manure are more readily available to produce crops than the raw manure which is put into the bio gas generator.
The methane produced by the bio gas generator is carried through a plastic pipe into his house to a burner. He said they could cook food for three to four hours each day with the methane.
Robert said that his mother is delighted that there is no need to gather or carry fire wood any more for cooking food and there is no smoke in the cooking area. He told us that his mother is amazed that cows can produce fuel for cooking!!!
Robert is milking three cows now and expects a couple to freshen soon. He milks his cows three times a day. The milk from the first two milkings is sold to the dairy and the milk from the third milking is used for the family’s consumption. Robert’s farm is half an acre.
We were told that the materials for Robert’s heavy gauge bio gas unit cost 28,000 shillings ($430) and it is supposed to last for 10-15 years. (We were also told that the price has gone up to 34,000 shillings or $525). Materials for a lighter gauge unit cost 15,000 shillings ($250).
Funds for this bio gas generator were donated by the Rotary Club of Stratford.
He showed us the biogas generator which was installed in March 2007. Robert farms on steep land so the bio gas unit is located above his house.
He puts one bucket of manure from his dairy cows and two buckets of water into one end of the heavy gauge plastic tube each day. He takes the same amount of composted manure from the other end of the tube each day.
The composted manure is put on his napier grass to fertilize the grass and is used to grow kale for family consumption.. The nutrients in the manure are more readily available to produce crops than the raw manure which is put into the bio gas generator.
The methane produced by the bio gas generator is carried through a plastic pipe into his house to a burner. He said they could cook food for three to four hours each day with the methane.
Robert said that his mother is delighted that there is no need to gather or carry fire wood any more for cooking food and there is no smoke in the cooking area. He told us that his mother is amazed that cows can produce fuel for cooking!!!
Robert is milking three cows now and expects a couple to freshen soon. He milks his cows three times a day. The milk from the first two milkings is sold to the dairy and the milk from the third milking is used for the family’s consumption. Robert’s farm is half an acre.
We were told that the materials for Robert’s heavy gauge bio gas unit cost 28,000 shillings ($430) and it is supposed to last for 10-15 years. (We were also told that the price has gone up to 34,000 shillings or $525). Materials for a lighter gauge unit cost 15,000 shillings ($250).
Funds for this bio gas generator were donated by the Rotary Club of Stratford.
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