Small-scale biogas facilities to enhance nutrient flows in rural Africa—relevance, acceptance, and implementation challenges in Ethiopia

• DOI: 10.1007/s13165-020-00329-9
• Publication Date: 2020-10-10T04:03:36Z
• Authors: Mia Schoeber; Gerold Rahmann; Bernhard Freyer
• Keywords: Biogas; Nutrient Management; Biodegradable waste

Abstract On smallholder farms in Ethiopia, livestock manure and organic residues are traditionally removed from fields for construction, feed, fuel purposes, while the remainder stays field as feed or fertilizer. Burning removing matter without replacing it leads to valuable losses of on-farm nutrients soil carbon, which could otherwise be used fertilize crops. Instead, resources need efficiently by reducing recycling forming a closed production system. Competition between applications can eliminated bio-methanation using biodigester. There, transformed biogas utilized light cooking bioslurry, nutritious fertilizer source matter. Through capturing agricultural by-products, become available food system again. Literature review has been supplemented with empirical evidence study carried out central Ethiopian Highlands on 47 farms, provide baseline further improvements management technology. The identifies series inadequate handling practices thus significant potential optimize farming around It is recommended include forage legumes farm enhance that recycled through necessary involve private sector biodigester programs, improve local availability materials, suitable culture traditions. Space knowledge exchange farmers advisors like demonstration bioslurry management. Although challenges remain, integration should encouraged fulfills energy economic additional resources, resulting win-win situation farmer.