The Embassy of Sweden has signed an agreement with SNV (Dutch NGO) to promote the use of biogas for agricultural production in dairy and livestock farming and for household cooking in areas not served by the national electricity grid. The collaboration with SNV is part of a broader Swedish strategy for development co-operation with Zambia, for the period 2013-2017. The programme covers three thematic areas: health, governance and economic development, within which energy falls. According to Swedish embassy’s national programme officer-energy and environment, the programme will support generation of renewable energy from a number of sources, including solar, mini-hydro and gas. The objective is to contribute to the transition to a sustainable, green and more diverse energy mix in the country that also benefits the poorest. The choice of the target areas was based on the feasibility study that SNV conducted in 2012 on the potential of biogas in Zambia. The strategy will be implemented over a three-year period, and supports the construction of 3,375 bio digester units in provinces. A single biogas unit is estimated to directly help conserve 3 tons of fuel wood annually through fuel switching, resulting in substitution of unsustainably harvested biomass and maintenance of forest habitat. It is expected that dairy farmers will be able to utilise biogas as a fuel for powering milk chillers and incubators thereby enabling them to store milk overnight. Moreover, this will lead to improved incomes for the farmers through the use of the bio slurry. The programme will train 300 artisans in construction of biogas digesters and capacitating companies dealing in biogas digesters. The programme will establish a Biogas Support Unit whose role is to guide and support the development of the biogas sector, ensuring optimum conditions and an enabling environment for the development of a healthy and sustainable biogas market.

http://www.agribusinessafrica.net/index.php/3141-sweden-snv-sign-biogas-pact
http://www.mewd.gov.zm/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=27&Itemid=52