By Raymond Ng’etich
In Kenya, the transition to cleaner, more efficient energy sources is no longer confined to towns and cities; it is rapidly gaining momentum in rural villages as well. Across the countryside, traditional fuels such as charcoal, firewood, and kerosene are steadily being replaced by biogas, a renewable, affordable, and environmentally friendly alternative.
Produced from animal waste and other organic materials, biogas is giving smallholder farmers a chance to turn what was once seen as waste into a reliable source of cooking gas and energy. “Once installed, the digester creates a closed-loop system where nothing goes to waste. Farmers use the biogas to cook on double burner stoves, power water heaters, and operate small-scale machinery like chaff cutters,” says Raymond Ng’etich, a technician at Systema Bio Kenya. Using locally available resources, farmers can now generate their own energy directly from their homesteads while simultaneously producing a nutrient-rich fertilizer for their crops.
Making biogas affordable for farmers
Recognizing that the upfront cost of installing a biogas system can be a challenge for many rural households, several companies in Kenya have developed innovative financing models. These companies offer on-site installation of bio digesters designed specifically for small farms, coupled with flexible, hire-purchase payment plans.
Instead of paying the full amount at once, farmers can make an affordable deposit and spread the remaining cost over manageable monthly instalments. This has opened the door for thousands of rural households to access clean energy without stretching their budgets. Beyond affordability, these companies also provide training on operation and maintenance, ensuring farmers get the best long-term value from their investment. “Sistema.bio for, instance, offers flexible payment plans tailored to the realities of farming life. Farmers can pay the full amount up front or choose to extend the cost over eight or 25 months, depending on what works best for their cash flow. For example, the Sistema 8 unit, priced at KES 89,000, can be paid of f in 25 monthly installments of just KES 4,900. Larger units, like Sistema 30 and Sistema 40, also come with installment options,” he says.
Payments are made through mobile money transfer, and every purchase includes free installation and three free service visits. “Sistema bio digester comes with a 10-year warranty and up to 20 years guaranteed usage, as well as continued support from trained local staff.” This ensures that the technology is not only affordable but also well-maintained.
This approach not only makes clean energy accessible but also empowers rural households to reduce their dependence on expensive and polluting fuels, lower their carbon footprint, and improve their quality of life.
What is biogas, and how does it work?
Biogas is created when organic waste, such as cattle dung, crop residues, or kitchen scraps, is broken down by microorganisms in an oxygen-free environment, a process known as anaerobic digestion.
The process occurs within a biogas digester, a sealed unit where waste is combined with water to form a slurry. As microorganisms ferment the mixture, they release methane-rich gas, which is piped directly to a household stove, lamp, or water heater.
Once the digestion process is complete, the remaining material, called bio slurry, emerges as a potent organic fertilizer, rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This fertilizer is highly effective in improving soil fertility and boosting crop yields, providing farmers with a second stream of benefits beyond cooking fuel.
Violet’s biogas journey: From reading to reality
One of the clearest examples of biogas transforming rural livelihoods is the story of Violet Kageha, a smallholder farmer from the lush hills of Kakamega County.
Violet first learned about small-scale biogas systems from The Organic Farmer (TOF) Magazine. “I read that biogas can be produced by dung from as few as two cows, so I sought more information on how to have it installed in my homestead,”she recalls
At the time, Violet had three dairy cows, more than enough to sustain a domestic digester. She approached a biogas installation company and was pleasantly surprised to find that the system was within her reach thanks to their hire-purchase payment plan.
“I only paid Ksh 3,500 as a deposit, and now I pay Ksh 3,500 monthly for 25 months,” she explains. “The biogas plant has a warranty of 10 years, and I’ve been assured it will serve me for over 20 years.”
Life After Biogas Installation Since installing the bio digester, Violet has completely stopped using firewood for cooking. The unit requires only two 20-litre buckets of cow dung weekly to operate, producing enough gas to meet all her household cooking needs.
In fact, the system sometimes generates more gas than she can use at once. “Sometimes the gas is too much, so I choose to cook meals that take longer in order to reduce the mounting pressure of excess gas,” she says with a smile.
The benefits have been significant:
- Reduced Costs – No more spending on charcoal, kerosene, or Liquid Petroleum Gas.
- Time Saving – No longer collects firewood, giving her more time for farm and family activities.
- Cleaner Cooking – No smoke in the kitchen,which means better health for her household.
- Sustainable Fertilizer – The bio slurry from the digester keeps her vegetable garden thriving without expensive chemical fertilizers.
- Environmental Impact – Reduced deforestation and fewer greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing manure.
“With biogas, my cows give me more than milk — they give me the energy to cook, fertilizer for my crops, and a cleaner home for my family.”