Green Poultry Farm Mozambique
Author: Vasco Cossa
Introduction
I am Vasco Cossa, a 25-year-old climate enthusiast from Mozambique, and I’m thrilled to share Green Poultry Farm Mozambique’s journey in tackling climate change. I have a background in Physics, with a specialization in Renewable Energy Technologies. Joining me are the dedicated members of our team: Carla Mavila, with a background in Environmental Chemistry; Abel Junga, with a background in Electronic Engineering; Odavia Naftal, with a background in Environmental Chemistry; and Erasmo Sique, with a background in Agronomic Engineering. Our academic paths converged at Eduardo Mondlane University, where our shared commitment to addressing environmental challenges in the poultry industry ignited the collaborative spark.
Join us in exploring the narrative of innovation, sustainability, and the pursuit of solutions that transcend boundaries.
Personal Story
Climate change is not just a global issue; its impacts are also profoundly personal. Growing up in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, I witnessed, among other environmental issues, air pollution, water body contamination, and soil eutrophication, all attributed to improper disposal of poultry waste in unsuitable dumping sites. These experiences ignited a passion within me, driving my commitment to make a meaningful difference.
For me, contributing to the fight against climate change means assuming a crucial role in shaping a sustainable future for our planet. It’s about recognizing the urgency of the climate crisis and taking responsibility for the impact of our actions. As I see it, it’s a commitment to innovation, resilience, and a profound respect for the delicate balance of our environment. It involves not just acknowledging the problems but actively participating in crafting solutions. It’s a dedication to fostering awareness, driving change, and leaving a legacy of environmental stewardship for generations to come.
Project Overview
Our project, Green Poultry Farm Mozambique, addresses the wicked problem of environmental pollution associated with poultry farming, with an innovative biodigester system that converts poultry litter into biogas and biofertilizers, through anaerobic digestion. The biogas is converted into electricity and heat to meet energy needs within poultry production and the biofertilizer is used to grow feed for the poultry, promoting maximum use of resources and contributing to the circular economy by keeping materials in the loop.
Objectives
● Waste-to-Energy Conversion: Implement biodigester plants to efficiently convert poultry waste into biogas, contributing to a renewable energy source for the poultry industry.
● Biofertilizer Production: Generate biofertilizers as a byproduct, enhancing soil fertility and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers.
● Community Engagement: Collaborate with local communities, universities, and government agencies for the successful implementation and scaling of biodigester plants.
Importance in Climate Context
Green Poultry Farm Mozambique plays a vital role in addressing climate challenges by promoting a circular economy in the poultry industry. The project not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with poultry waste but also contributes to sustainable agricultural practices. The adoption of biodigesters aligns with global efforts to transition to clean energy and promotes a localized solution to waste management, ensuring a resilient and sustainable future for both the poultry industry and the environment.
Innovation and Approach
The biogas produced in anaerobic digesters is comprised of approximately 50 to 70% methane (CH4), 30 to 50% carbon dioxide (CO2), and trace amounts of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and other gases. To be considered a viable fuel source, it is necessary to minimize the CO2 and H2S content, as higher concentrations of CO2 result in lower heating capacity of the biogas. Currently, this is accomplished by costly downstream processing to remove these undesirable gases (Shen et al., 2017). We propose an innovative and economical solution to reducing CO2 and H2S concentrations in biogas, which is the use of biochar, a charcoal produced through pyrolysis (thermal processing of biomass in the absence of oxygen). Due to its porous structure and surface chemistry, biochar is highly effective in adsorbing and removing CO2 and H2S.
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Approach
Community Engagement: The projectactively involves local poultry farmers, seeking their input, and providing training on the use of biodigester-generated biogas and biofertilizers. This approach fosters community ownership and ensures the sustainability of the initiative.
Holistic Waste Management:
The project adopts a holistic approach by not only addressing the challenge of poultry waste but also utilizing it to produce valuable byproducts. This ensures that the environmental impact is minimized, and the poultry industry moves toward a more sustainable and efficient operation.
Expected Results
● Renewable Energy Generation: The implementation of biodigesters is expected to significantly contribute to the renewable energy needs of the poultry industry, reducing its carbon footprint.
Enhanced Soil Fertility: The production of biofertilizers enriches the soil, promoting sustainable and organic agricultural practices, and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers.
Project Inspiration
Inspiration
Green Poultry Farm Mozambique emerged from a collective concern for the environmental impact of the poultry industry in Mozambique and the need for sustainable energy solutions. Our diverse team, recognized the dual challenges of poultry waste pollution and energy deficits in the region, sparking our commitment to finding an innovative, dual-purpose solution.
Overcoming Challenges
While initiating the project posed challenges, such as technical intricacies and securing funding, our team’s dedication and collaboration overcame these obstacles. We hope to push our project forward into a reality especially now that we got funding from Youth4Climate.
Any details you want to give on what you will do with the funding, how you’ll test in some communities and how you would hope to scale after?
Vision for Local Context
Addressing Climate Challenges
Our vision for Green Poultry Farm Mozambique is rooted in transforming the local poultry industry into a beacon of sustainability. By converting poultry waste into biogas and biofertilizers, we aim to combat environmental pollution while addressing energy needs within the industry. This innovative solution not only mitigates climate challenges associated with waste but also contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable energy landscape.
Positive Changes in the Community
The impact of our project extends beyond environmental considerations. In our vision, local poultry farmers experience reduced operational costs through affordable biogas, leading to a more economically viable poultry industry. Additionally, the production of biofertilizers enhances soil fertility, benefittinglocal agriculture. By promoting circular economy principles, we envision a resilient and thriving community with improved economic, environmental, and agricultural outcomes. Green Poultry Farm aspires to be a catalyst for positive change at the local level, setting an example for sustainable practices in the broader Mozambican context.
Y4C Connection
Being a part of the Y4C community is a game-changer. The support we will receive, both in funding and capacity-building, is instrumental in turning our vision into reality.
Was there anything else that you gained from being in touch with other climate innovators worldwide. Could you speak a bit more about your experience applying and attending the event. Is the Y4C platform providing you with useful resources and giving you access to an interesting network of potential collaborators?
Join our cause:
Join us in our mission! Spread awareness about Green Poultry Farm Mozambique and let’s create a ripple effect of positive change.
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The opinions presented in this blog post belong solely to the author and information contained herein regarding any specific person, commercial product process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Youth4Climate.
