Tag Archives: appropriate technology

Uganda Biogas Project Wins “Best Practice” Award

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Photo by Russell Powell

Heifer International has employed some ingenious solutions to third-world problems over the years. Now, one project has received a “Best Practices and Innovations” award from InterAction, a coalition of nonprofits focused on development.

Heifer’s Uganda biogas project eases the workload of rural women and improves their health by providing a safe, renewable and cheap source of fuel – a fuel that’s much cleaner than firewood. The technique uses cattle and pig waste to produce methane gas for lighting and cooking. The dung is collected in a “digester,” where microbes break it down and release methane, which can be captured in a cylinder or piped straight into the home.

InterAction’s technical review committee noted the impressive results achieved by Heifer International Uganda’s biogas project, especially the improvements in living conditions and incomes in rural communities. The committee was also impressed with the project’s promotion of women’s participation, as well as the strong collaboration with the government and private sector.

Most people in rural Uganda, because they don’t have access to electricity, rely on firewood. But the supply of wood and charcoal is being quickly depleted by deforestation. Women and children spend hours gathering firewood, tending cook fires and breathing in smoke and soot.

Home biogas plants under construction.

 

The biogas project is funded by the Dutch government and began in 2009. It aims to install 12,000 biogas units by the end of 2013. The project trains both the builders and the users of the biogas plants, which are relatively simple to build. The construction enterprises working with Heifer include two run by women.

In addition to easing deforestation, the Heifer International project has lowered women and children’s risk of disease from indoor air pollution, and hygiene has improved since animal waste is no longer left close to the homes. A majority of households have reported a reduction in health care expenditures.

 

There are other benefits, too.

Bioslurry, a byproduct of the methane production, can be used as a natural fertilizer.

The bio-slurry removed from the digester at the end of the process can be used as natural fertilizer, resulting in better crop harvests. Children are able to read and study at night with gas-powered lighting. And interestingly, some men now feel more comfortable preparing light snacks and tea with user-friendly biogas stoves.

“We at Heifer International are very pleased to receive this award,” says Elizabeth Bintliff, Vice-President of Africa Programs. “It’s a huge credit to the Heifer Uganda program, highlighting one simple innovation that can solve many different problems. We hope InterAction’s recognition will help spread the word about this technique, so that we can share its benefits with many more communities.”

A Virtual Tour of Clara’s Improved Kitchen

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Earlier this month we shared with you the story of Clara Alanya of Peru, a young woman who has remained in her rural community and become a leader through her participation in a Heifer project. In this video, you’ll hear more about Clara and go on a virtual tour of her improved kitchen, including the improved stove, which she now helps her fellow community members to build.

Biogas: More than a source of energy

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by Puja Singh  – Heifer Nepal

Poverty has many dimensions. While being poor relates directly to having less to eat, energy is definitely a primary concern for many poor families around the world.  A recent poverty matters blog post looks at how energy directly impacts the poverty situation in many poor countries. 
 
In Nepal, the lack of energy is not just a problem for the poor. The country has continuously had to schedule rolling blackouts for many years now. A general problem intensifies when it reaches the poor. Most of the rural communities are not connected to the grid. Women and girls, primary caregivers for the family, spend hours in a day searching for firewood in the already dwindling forest. These are hours that might have been better spent farming or perhaps, if she is lucky enough, studying.
 
A solution to the current energy situation in Nepal is huge investments in hydro power and solar power fueled by aid and government money. Are they useful? Yes. Are they enough? Probably not. Overlooking the time it will take for these plans to materialize and not addressing the politics that might keep these projects from finishing or even launching, fulfilling the urban energy deficit will still be a priority. People in the cities can pay, enabling the government to pay back the loan from World Bank or some other entity.
 
A better solution is biogas. Many Heifer projects that give buffalos also provide support for installation of a biogas plant. The manure from the animals is used to produce methane gas used as fuel for cooking and to light bulbs. This diagram below explains how it all works, and more information about biogas plant construction can be found here.

 
Heifer’s work in countries with multi-faceted problems like Nepal does not just stop in giving livestock gifts to end hunger. But it can invest in innovative ways which can address other over-arching problems with the use of livestock and agriculture. Yes — biogas provides energy. But it does so much more:
  • Saves time that would be spent in searching firewood and allows for girl children to focus on schooling often neglected due to manual chores.
  • Produces smokeless fire, lessening the occurrence of tuberculosis, impaired vision and breathing problems. 
  • Produces light so work can be done and children can read after dark. 
  • Produces manure slurry which is excellent organic fertilizer. 
  • Aids in managing animal and human organic waste. 
  • Reduces the demand for fossil fuel.

Wash Your Hands

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I tell you what, October is chock full of Official Days. I had no idea!

In addition to being International Day of Rural Women, it’s also Global Handwashing Day.

Handwashing is a critical part of hygiene and health and can mean the difference between life and death in some parts of the world.

We’ve blogged before about the tippy tap, which is a simple, appropriate technology being adopted in several of Heifer’s project communities in Africa.

I saw a tippy tap in action in Uganda, and Marleen New wrote about them on her trip to Zambia.

Making the Most of Our Sun

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The Sun. It’s 92,957,130.4 miles away, in case your 9th grade physical science memory has failed you. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, where Heifer International’s headquarters sits, we’re going to be seeing less of it with fall and winter approaching. Here are a couple of things I’ve seen lately related to the Sun that I think are worth sharing.

First, have you seen this video? Wowey, this is awesome! Talk about appropriate technology.
Next, check out this infographic. The more people who sign up in your area, the closer you’ll be to making solar a reality for your home and community. We’ve recently put in solar panels here at headquarters, but I’d really love to have some on my house’s roof.

Home Solar Power Discounts – One Block Off the Grid

New Solar Panels Help Heifer Care for the Earth

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 Written by Erin Snow, Communications Manager
After more than three weeks of setting the stage, the real stars of the 100-panel, 25 kW solar array, have arrived. One-by-one, each panel has been placed atop support poles on the north side of Heifer International’s campus in Little Rock, Ark. The project is expected to be completed by early September.
Supporting Heifer’s commitment to care for the Earth, the system will harness the sun’s energy to supplement 25 percent of the energy for Heifer’s headquarters. Additionally, it will provide back-up support to keep computers and lights on in the event of an electrical outage.  

With annual rebates from the federal government and state of Arkansas, as well as electric savings, the
$191,000 renewable energy system is expected to be fully paid for in 10-15 years.  

Heifer’s solar array is the largest of its kind in central Arkansas. The panels, purchased from local solar equipment provider Stellar Sun, were installed by Little Rock Electric.

Watch progress of the installation and hear more about the project from Erik Swindle, Heifer’s Director of Facilities Management, in the video.

Read the press release.   

Heifer Uganda Commended for Innovation during Agricultural Show

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Original story and photos by Dan Bazira, Senior IT & Communications Coordinator for Heifer International’s Uganda Program

The Ugandan National Agricultural and Trade show began in 1993 and is organized by the Uganda National Farmers’ Federation. This event is a platform for displaying and identifying innovations by local and foreign organizations to improve technologies for better production and marketing. It is also an opportunity for farmers to learn better methods of production an innovations that can boost agricultural productivity for earning income.

The week-long 19th Annual National Agricultural and Trade Show began on July 18 with the theme of “Promoting Agricultural Commercialization to Access the East African Common Market.” It attracted exhibitors from both local and international companies. The foreign companies were from Israel, Egypt, Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. The show was aimed at helping Ugandans adopt modern methods of farming to address the food demands of a rapidly growing population and to address the needs of the East African market.

Heifer International’s Uganda program was one of the major exhibitors and has been accredited as having displayed the most innovative products that suit the needs of the rural communities. “Easy-to-implement and well-planned programs can help alleviate hunger and poverty while preserving the country’s natural resources among the communities, an agenda that Heifer International has advanced in Uganda,” said Moses Byaruhanga, Private Personal Secretary (in charge of Political Affairs) to the President of Uganda, during his visit to the Heifer International exhibition stall.

Heifer displayed different forms of organic farming techniques, technology methods promoted under the Uganda Domestic Biogas Project, establishment of demonstration plots, as well as best practices in the dairy value chain promoted under the East Africa Dairy Development Project. Also displayed were improved technologies with an emphasis of the meeting standards and needs of the wider East African market.

Heifer Uganda has continued to be a center for learning, educating Ugandans on the best practices that can be adopted to end hunger, poverty and care for the Earth.

The Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries said, “Heifer International Uganda has continued to venture into piloting new and innovative initiatives by practically testing the validity of promising premises, and in documenting and proactively sharing lessons learned with others. This method has led to the adoption of their innovations. To this, I commend Heifer International for being a leading program in advancing sustainable agricultural innovations in our communities in Uganda.”

Lelo Bwacha: An Awakening in Zambia

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by Marleen New, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

 
A recurring theme on our trip to Zambia, I’ve found, is how such simple ideas, built from inexpensive and everyday items, can make a world of difference. 

The local Bemba phrase “Lelo Bwacha” when translated literally means “dawn” or “morning,” but in Zambia, it is used to describe an awakening, or “Our eyes have been opened” and “We didn’t know such simple things could change a life.” We heard this over and over, time and again, and it certainly seemed to resonate with what we were seeing and experiencing.
Zambian project participant showing how the Tippy-Tap system works.

 Consider the Tippy-Tap. As mentioned in the previous post, having a hand-washing facility convenient and close by the latrine improves hygiene.

Simple Tippy-Tap method

In its simplest form, this could be achieved by providing a plastic jug filled with water. If you drill a small hole close to the bottom of the jug and plug the hole with a stick, you don’t even have to touch the jug to wash your hands. Just remove the twig, wash your hands under the running water and stick the twig back in to stop the flow. Simple.

The Tippy-Tap takes this idea a step further and completely removes the necessity of handling the container.  The jug is suspended by a rope slung over a branch, which is then tied to a stick on the ground.  Stepping on the stick tilts the jug so water can flow to wash your hands. It’s hard to explain but the pictures can demonstrate much better than words.
Considering the incredibly high rate of water-borne diseases, (60 percent of our targeted community members have experienced diarrhea at least once in the last three months) this alone could make a big difference.

Today we visited some families that I had met nine months ago when I came with Elanco staff to see what was then a future project area. During that visit, we met a family that had begun to build a barn—just in case they were selected to receive animals once the project began. Imagine building an entire barn, just in the slim chance you might receive an animal. We decided the phrase “The Audacity of Hope” applied quite well to this farmer! When we returned today we found the barn completed, as well as a bigger, stronger, more impressive barn right next to it. I asked why the second barn and was told — since the barn was built before any Heifer training had taken place– the knowledge and expertise needed to construct a facility strong enough to hold a 500-pound animal hadn’t been utilized. No worries, the farmer told us, he would just use his first structure for storage and smaller animals that he planned to purchase one day. But he was mighty proud of his new one.  We could only imagine the hard work required to build it. It was amazingly strong and built using only his hands—no machinery—and not one nail!
Lelo Bwacha indeed!
Tomorrow we participate in the next handover ceremony of 42 draft cattle to 20 more families!

Heifer Helps Spread Push-Pull Technology in Kenya

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Heifer’s Kenya Country Program staff recently held a workshop for staff in the Nyanza and Western regions of Kenya to the Adaptation and Dissemination of Push-Pull Technology (ADOPT) project.

Okay, before you click away, thinking, workshop: boring; Push-Pull: never heard of it… Hear me out.
Push-Pull is super cool. It’s a simple agricultural technology developed 10 years ago to control the stemborer insects and striga weeds that destroy crops and cause poor harvests, increasing livelihood vulnerability in affected areas.
Imagine you’re a farmer in Sub-Saharan Africa, and you grow maize. Aside from being harmful on many levels, chemical herbicides and pesticides are absolutely out of your budget. To implement Push-Pull, you will plant your maize crop with a repellent intercrop, like desmodium, for your push; you plant an attractive trap plant, like Napier grass as a border crop, for your pull. The push crop repels stemborers, pushing them to the attractive Napier, which traps the and kills stemborers (an added bonus is that the Napier grass doesn’t suffer from this, allowing it to be harvested and used or sold for livestock fodder). Maize isn’t the only crop farmers can do this with; it’s also proven to be useful in protecting sorghum and millet crops.
Watch this video from ICIPE:
So, back to the ADOPT project, which will be implemented by Heifer Kenya, the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute. Upon opening the workshop, Heifer’s Kenya Country Director Alex Kirui said, “As a development organization, we have the opportunity to disseminate technology from research institutions to farmers.” the ADOPT project’s overall objective is to enhance food security and increase prosperity for poor smallholder farmers in Africa who are vulnerable to climate change, including less predictable rainfall. The project’s activities will include identification, testing and selection of new drought-tolerant trap and intercrop plants that can be incorporated into the Push-Pull system, which will enable expansion into drier areas, develop capacity and promote widespread uptake. Heifer’s key role will be to mobilize and train farmers to integrate livestock production into crop farming system. The project aims to impact more than 10,000 farm families in Nyanza and Western Kenya.
With ICIPE and Heifer Kenya’s partnership, farm families–including those in non-ADOPT project areas–will enjoy easier access to desmodium fodder plant seeds through a desmodium revolving fund. The project’s original farmers will be the first to receive desmodium seeds from ICIPE. After they plant and harvest the seeds, they will pass new seeds on to other farmers through Heifer’s Pass on the Gift model.
“We are sure of a win-win partnership with Heifer Kenya. We are aware of Heifer Kenya’s systematic and organized entry into communities. The Passing on the Gift principle, too, is an asset that Heifer Kenya needs to be congratulated for, as it promotes sustainability and the spread of gifts in the community. That is why we want to replicate this in the desmodium seeds revolving fund,” Jimmy Pittchar of ICIPE said.