by Christopher Makaza

The Ministry of Power Development through the Rural Electrification Fund is advocating the use of biogas in rural areas and is currently implementing various biogas digester programmes across the country.

Biogas is an energy product derived from organic material such as animal dung that is decomposed in the absence of oxygen, thereby making a mixture that is mainly made up of methane (gas). The gas can be used directly for cooking and lighting or for generating electricity.

Speaking during a Renpower Zimbabwe Investment Summit held in Harare yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Gloria Magombo said Government continued to promote the use of biogas so that people especially from the rural areas consider using it. She further highlighted some of the achievements that Government has made to date regarding the establishment of biogas digesters.

“Currently the Ministry through the Rural Electrification Fund is implementing the institutional and Domestic Biogas Digester programs. To date, over 300 domestic, 68 institutional and 1 growth point digester have been constructed. The Ministry will continue to promote these initiatives so that biogas becomes the fuel of choice for cooking in households,” she said.

Rural communities across the country should adopt the simple technology to produce clean, alternative and easily accessible renewable energy from biomass. Collecting firewood is a very difficult task for most families in the country. People spend hours collecting firewood, hence the need to adopt biogas.