Ouagadougou:Issiaka Zouri, representing the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, officially inaugurated a workshop on the development of the biodigester market in Burkina Faso. The event, held in Ouagadougou, emphasized the necessity of incorporating biodigester technology into agricultural policies to enhance food sovereignty and soil restoration.
According to Agence d'Information du Burkina, Zouri highlighted the benefits of biodigesters, such as converting animal waste and other organic materials into biogas and digestate, which can be used as fertilizer. This technology supports the synergy between agriculture and livestock, enhances soil fertility, and creates rural employment opportunities. He noted its relevance to the 2026-2028 Agro-Pastoral, Hydraulic, and Fisheries Offensive and urged stakeholders to continue the achievements of the ABC-Sahel program, set to conclude in December 2026.
Jennie Van de Weerd, the Cooperation Officer at the Netherlands Embassy, noted that the Netherlands has supported biodigester development in Burkina Faso since 2009 through the African Biogas Partnership Program. This support has bolstered institutional, technical, and entrepreneurial capacities. She also mentioned Burkina Faso's involvement in establishing the West and Central Africa Biodigester Alliance in 2017-2018, advocating for a self-sustaining market.
SNV's Deputy Country Director, Nadine Koné, reported that the ABC-Sahel program, launched in 2022, has developed five professional training frameworks related to biodigester vocations. She also pointed out that SNV has been coordinating the national biodigester program's carbon project since 2014, recovering over 284,000 tons of CO2 equivalent and generating more than three million dollars in carbon credit revenues from the World Bank. SNV plans to continue building synergies with other initiatives like Pro-ARIDES and Valeurs de Sol.
Guel Zila Issouf, head of the ABC-Sahel team in Burkina Faso, reported about 17,000 biodigesters constructed or rehabilitated, with nearly 90% operational. He identified challenges related to demand, construction company capacity, financing, and maintenance. Studies estimate that approximately 1.8 million Burkinabè could potentially use this technology, with agricultural entrepreneurs expressing a need for 10,000 tons of compost.
Aminata Ouédraogo, founder of NAMANGDO SARL, a compost marketing company in Tenkodogo, stated that biodigesters facilitate the production of organic fertilizer and provide households with biogas. She praised SNV's financial support and the technical assistance of the National Biodigester Program, which increased her production and created direct employment opportunities.
Over the years, SNV and partners have transformed the biodigester from a domestic cooking solution into a productive technology contributing to rural development. The biodigester now offers farmers organic fertilizer, entrepreneurs economic opportunities, and households cost savings and improved living conditions.
The workshop aims to capitalize on the achievements of the ABC-Sahel program and identify mechanisms for ensuring the sustainability of the national biodigester market, focusing on financing access, equipment quality, maintenance, compost standardization, and strengthening partnerships among stakeholders.
Source Agence d'Information du Burkina