Turning stubborn water hyacinth into biogas to conserve environment
Viola Kosome @PeopleDailyKE
When Enock Owuor saw his community living around Dunga beach in Kisumu struggling to control the stubborn water hyacinth, he wondered how best he could transform the misfortune into a blessing.
The weed had robbed his people of their source of livelihood by blocking the lake and denying them a chance to venture into the lake to fish.
Worse off, the stubborn weed coupled with the high rate of pollution in the lake also led to dwindling of fish stocks.
Efforts by the national government to eradicate the weed had not borne any fruit, with a hyacinth harvester purchased by Lake Victoria Environment Management Project lying idle at the Kisumu Port.
Shred and mix
The enthusiastic environmentalist spent several months studying how best the weed could be utilised positively to transform the lives of the people.
His main focus was the production of biogas. When People Daily visited him in Dunga, Owuor was busy setting up materials to prepare biogas for his clients.
“I have found a new use for the weed, which has caused trouble along the shores of Lake Victoria for more than 20 years,” he says.
He noted that the weed could be used to make biogas for both public and private entities.
Owuor works at Biogas International Ltd as a plant supervisor and is a graduate from University of Eldoret with Bachelor Degree In Environmental Science.
He says the process entails collecting weeds and putting them in a shredder.
“The shredder chops them into smaller pieces to remove air elements before it is mixed with water and fed into a digester,” he explains.
Apart from hyacinth, animal and kitchen waste, fish offal, cactus weeds, cow dung and other organic wastes can be used as a supplement in the process of making biogas.
The environmentalist says he prefers fresh dung as a supplement because it improves the yield.
The 15-metre digester is further divided into different stages including, hydrolysis, where particulates are being broken down into simple particles. 
The biogas is stored and piped.
The process can also be used to produce organic fertiliser called bio-slurry or bio-tea, which is very good for crops and can be used as a pesticide.
Owuor said that in a day, they collect about 200-500 litres of bio-slurry, which costs Sh4 per litre, but currently given out for free.
Owuor says his community has embraced the initiative, which has also reduced the high rates of deforestation around the lake and destruction of wetland areas.
Clean energy
Suleia Ogada, who has been in fish business since 2000, says the Dunga Project has saved her from using firewood since it kicked off in 2018.
She would spend between Sh500 and Sh800 on firewood daily, and the price would increase depending on availability of firewood.
“The project has been a sigh of relief for us, as we have been able to spend only Sh40 per metres cube, which fries fish for up to one hour,” she explains.
The fish she fries is now cleaner because biogas does not produce smoke.
James Otieno, a farmer from Nyakach, came all the way to Dunga for the bio-slurry. He told People Daily he was referred to Owuor’s project when he was at a loss on what to do when his oranges were wilting.
“After two days, my oranges came back to normal and I am happy they grew well and the portion I sold boosted me financially,” he says.
Several other people have already expressed their interest in the new technology including government institutions as well as the county government of Kisumu.
