A village biogas project tests Zambia’s push to improve rural energy access
A biogas project in Nkhundye village, Zambia, converts cattle dung into cooking gas, electricity, and irrigation power for local households. The system currently serves 100 households and is set to expand to 600 through underground piping and portable gas bags. Funded initially by international donors, long-term operation will be managed by the local cooperative.
- ▪The biogas plant uses cow dung from 300 cattle managed by the Nkhundye Community Cooperative to produce methane for energy.
- ▪As of March 2026, 100 households received biogas, with plans to extend access to all 600 cooperative households.
- ▪Households use biogas for cooking, electricity generation, and irrigation, while the byproduct slurry is used as organic fertilizer.
- ▪The project was implemented by NACRO with $482,000 in funding from Germany’s BMZ and NGO NAK-Karitativ e.V.
- ▪After initial donor support, the Nkhundye Community Cooperative is responsible for ongoing operation and maintenance.
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A biogas project in Zambia’s Nkhundye village is turning cattle dung into energy for cooking, irrigation, and meeting limited electricity needs.The system was serving about 100 households as of March this year, with plans to expand cooking gas access to 600 community households using underground pipes and portable gas bags.Nonprofits and development agencies bore the initial costs of installing the system and providing equipment, but the running of the plant will depend on the Nkhundye Community Cooperative in the future.While this project is small, Zambian authorities say the country is pursuing a large-scale rural electrification strategy that includes biogas, mini-grids, solar arrays and other decentralized energy technologies.See All Key Ideas (function($) {…
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