Biogas use in Reconstruction
Practical Action
Case Study: Communal biogas latrines in Nairobi
The use of biogas technology to assist in urban waste disposal solutions has been demonstrated in
Kenya, in the informal settlements of Kibera, by the use of standard pit latrines combined with
digesters.
Kibera is a large slum on the outskirts of Nairobi, with a dense urban population and hundreds of
people sharing each toilet cubicle. The Umande Trust, a Kenyan rights-based NGO, has developed
a ‘BioCentre’ which incorporates biogas technology into a latrine block with sanitary facilities, and
is managed by community-based groups that are trained by the organisation.
The construction can be built anywhere
where space allows in the slums as does
not require sewage infrastructure, instead
treating human waste on-site. This helps to
combat the pollution of pathways and
drains by faecal matter, reducing the
spread of disease and particularly, infant
mortality rates.
The management of the facility by the local
community ensures that hygiene is a
priority, and the biogas produced can be
used for energy needs such as cooking.
More details of the project can be found on
the Urban Health Updates website here.
Figure 7: BioCentre in Kibera, Nairobi.
Source: © Buckminster Fuller Challenge
Case Study: Biogas promotion in Kenya
Practical Action’s East Africa office undertook a survey of the use of biogas in Kenya in 1995,
with the aim of highlighting the critical factors that affect the adoption of the technology in the
country. The original manual can be found on the Practical Answers website at Biogas Promotion
in Kenya.
The survey discovered that in areas where the first installed biogas plant performed well, word of
mouth from satisfied users encouraged other potential users to install their own plants; where
plants failed, the failure created a negative impact on the technology, discouraging potential users
in the process. Social influence created by successfully operated biogas plants therefore seems to
have a significant effect on wider dissemination and acceptability of technology.
Another crucial factor for adoption is the high initial investment cost of biogas systems, posing a
big problem to many potential users who are unable to raise money up front. The rising costs of
components and adverse economic conditions in recent years have reduced disposable incomes in
the country; cost therefore constitutes a serious constraint to dissemination of biogas technology.
Equally important is the maintenance and operation of the plant once installed; the survey found
that only 25% of biogas plants in the area were operational, many having fallen into a state of
disrepair after installation. It is possible that the organisations involved in construction failed to
include the local populations to an extent where the technology was fully understood and
accepted. It is also possible that the users were not experiencing the desired benefits from the
system and reverted back to traditional, familiar energy supplies.
The general consensus of the study was that there is scope for wide-spread introduction of biogas
use in Kenya, especially in areas of high population density. However, the lack of community
involvement with planning and training, overstatement of potential benefits and poor assessment
of community/household requirements can lead to plant installations that do not match the needs
of the population and are poorly maintained; greater inclusion of PCR principles into the process
will help to address this.
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