{"id":50363,"date":"2026-04-25T11:11:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T08:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/?p=50363"},"modified":"2026-04-25T11:11:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T08:11:17","slug":"turning-waste-into-fuel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/50363\/","title":{"rendered":"Turning Waste Into Fuel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Farmers shift to biogas, improving yields and reshaping daily life<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"|<\/p>\n

In Holeta, a town in Ethiopia\u2019s Oromia Region, farmers like Abebe Shewa and Shambel Semboka grew up watching a familiar routine. Women in their communities spent hours each day coaxing fires to life\u2014an essential but labor-intensive task required to prepare meals.<\/p>\n

That burden was not confined to the wider community. In their own households, reliance on traditional cooking methods meant daily exposure to smoke, rising fuel costs and time lost to gathering firewood.<\/p>\n

In recent years, the introduction of biogas systems alongside regenerative agriculture practices has begun to alter that pattern. By converting organic waste into fuel and fertilizer, the two farmers report measurable changes in both household conditions and farm productivity.<\/p>\n

The shift has also affected agricultural output. With reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers, fields are now sustained using bioslurry, a byproduct of the biogas process. Farmers say this has contributed to improved crop yields, particularly for vegetables such as cabbage and onions.<\/p>\n

Livestock production has also been influenced. Treated organic waste applied to grazing land has supported denser and more consistent fodder growth compared with rain-fed or chemically treated plots.<\/p>\n

Farmers involved in the program describe a system that integrates waste management, energy production and agriculture. Organic waste is processed rather than discarded, reducing odors and improving sanitation, while biogas replaces firewood and charcoal as a household energy source.<\/p>\n

Despite these gains, participants say technical limitations remain. Current systems, they note, may not yet accommodate larger households or compounds, and expansion to neighboring communities will require additional investment and technical support.<\/p>\n

Their accounts were presented on April 21, 2026, at the Skylight Hotel during the launch of a national biogas program led by Sistema.bio in partnership with SNV.<\/p>\n

The event brought together government officials, development partners, private sector representatives and farmer groups. Organizers outlined a model that combines biodigester technology with localized implementation, aiming to expand access to clean cooking energy while supporting sustainable agricultural practices.<\/p>\n

The system enables smallholder farmers to convert organic waste into both clean fuel and organic fertilizer. The approach is intended to reduce dependence on firewood and chemical inputs, lower household energy costs and improve agricultural productivity.<\/p>\n

Stakeholders at the event also highlighted the broader implications for rural communities, where limited access to reliable energy continues to affect both livelihoods and environmental sustainability.<\/p>\n

Programme representatives said approximately 150 biodigester systems have been installed to date, reaching an estimated 600 people. They reported reductions in indoor air pollution, as well as time savings in cooking and firewood collection\u2014tasks typically carried out by women. The intervention has also contributed to lower greenhouse gas emissions, with reductions estimated at 3,300 tons of carbon dioxide.<\/p>\n

The initiative has also generated local employment, particularly through installation and maintenance services linked to the systems.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, the program aims to install more than 1,600 biodigesters by September 2026, targeting over 6,000 farmers across Oromia, Sidama, Amhara and Central Ethiopia regions. Representatives said the expansion will be implemented with local partners to support adaptation to community contexts and increase awareness of the technology.<\/p>\n

Officials from Sistema.bio said the approach centers on decentralized renewable energy systems designed for agricultural use. Representatives from SNV indicated that the partnership integrates biogas technology into broader rural development efforts, including programs focused on climate-resilient dairy farming.<\/p>\n

Peter Simiyau, commercial director at Sistema.bio, said the company deploys biodigester systems that convert organic waste\u2014including animal manure and household refuse\u2014into clean energy and organic fertilizer.<\/p>\n

He said the company has installed about 150,000 units globally and plans to expand its footprint in Africa with an additional 30,000 systems over the next five years. The systems, he added, are designed to reduce dependence on imported fertilizers while improving crop yields.<\/p>\n

To support affordability, the company uses carbon financing mechanisms alongside digital monitoring, reporting and verification systems to track emissions reductions and system performance.<\/p>\n

Simiyau said the combination of financing and technology is intended to make the systems more accessible to farmers while supporting transitions to lower-cost and lower-emission agricultural practices.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy combining smart hardware with flexible financing, the program empowers farmers to transition toward a cleaner, more profitable, and sustainable future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Marcus Dreng, project manager at Bridge Plus, described biodigesters as a productive input within smallholder farming systems.<\/p>\n

He said the technology converts livestock waste into bio-slurry used as fertilizer while producing clean energy, creating a closed-loop system in which agricultural inputs and outputs are interconnected. According to Dreng, this approach can improve soil quality and agricultural productivity while contributing to emissions reduction in the livestock sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis systemic shift not only boosts crop but also serves as a vital climate mitigation tool within a sector known for high gas emissions,\u201d he told The Reporter<\/em>.<\/p>\n

According to Dreng, SNV\u2019s partnership with Sistema.bio includes plans to install 1,600 subsidized biodigesters, with initial capital support and subsidies covering up to half of the cost for participating households.<\/p>\n

He said the project is structured to stimulate a self-sustaining market that can continue beyond donor funding. The longer-term objective, he added, is to expand adoption to as many as 10,000 dairy farmers nationwide by establishing a viable commercial ecosystem around the technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe aim is to set up a market system around the biodigesters. We want it to run on its own after the project funding disappears,\u201d Dreng said, noting that SNV is exploring financing mechanisms, including carbon credits, to support affordability as the initiative scales.<\/p>\n

Hiwote Teshome, energy sector lead at SNV, said that while Ethiopia has established energy policies, implementation remains a central challenge. She pointed to gaps in execution, particularly in ensuring that solutions are both affordable and accessible to rural households.<\/p>\n

Hiwote said the current initiative builds on Ethiopia\u2019s earlier national biogas efforts, which helped establish technical capacity, raise awareness and support initial adoption. The present program, she noted, incorporates lessons from those earlier efforts, including improvements in technology selection, quality assurance, financing approaches and after-sales support. She says that the program is designed to leverage previous achievements rather than initiating a complete overhaul.<\/p>\n

\u201cEthiopia is exceptionally well-positioned for agricultural success, with its economy fundamentally reliant on this sector,\u201d she stated, highlighting the nation\u2019s extensive smallholder farming community and its distinction as one of Africa\u2019s most rapidly expanding populations. \u201cFor agricultural producers, this initiative transcends mere energy provision; it encompasses minimizing the time dedicated to fuel collection, enhancing soil productivity and crop yields through bio-slurry utilization, decreasing household energy expenditures, and fostering resilience within their cultivated lands.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said broader adoption continues to face structural constraints, including high upfront costs and regulatory barriers such as import procedures and limited access to foreign exchange.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are policy and market issues, not technology issues,\u201d Hiwote said, adding that coordinated action across government, private sector and development partners would be required to address them.<\/p>\n

Dawit Haile, representing the Ministry of Water and Energy, said the initiative aligns with national efforts to expand clean energy access while promoting circular agricultural practices.<\/p>\n

He said converting organic waste into energy and fertilizer can generate direct economic benefits for households while contributing to broader development goals. Expanding access to clean cooking solutions, he added, remains a priority due to its links to public health, environmental sustainability and rural livelihoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe National Clean Cooking Program outlines our commitment to accelerating the transition to modern energy solutions,\u201d he said, noting that biogas is among the technologies suited to current conditions.<\/p>\n

Dawit said creating an enabling environment for private sector participation remains a key focus for the ministry as it seeks to scale such initiatives nationwide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Farmers shift to biogas, improving yields and reshaping daily life In Holeta, a town in Ethiopia\u2019s Oromia Region, farmers like Abebe Shewa and Shambel Semboka grew up watching a familiar routine. Women in their communities spent hours each day coaxing fires to life\u2014an essential but labor-intensive task required to prepare meals. That burden was not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":50364,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"editor_plus_copied_stylings":"{}","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1942],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-50363","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-society"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50363"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50363\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thereporterethiopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}