An ATEC biodigester turns farm waste into a reliable fuel source, providing Nazma’s family with energy security in a volatile climate.
For Nazma Khatun and her neighbours, it’s not a matter of if their farms will flood, but when.
Living on the frontline of climate change in Koyra, in Bangladesh’s Khulna district, they are at the mercy of monsoon rains and cyclones which drench the land and the wood they rely on for cooking.
Nazma used to venture into the forest to collect wood to fuel her stove, leaving her exhausted and wasting hours of her time. Sometimes, she was forced to buy wood from the market, spending money she could ill-afford.
But life changed six months ago when Nazma and her husband installed a SobujShakti biogas system. ATEC had farms and families like Nazma’s in mind when they designed biodigesters, as a clean cooking solution that can withstand harsh environments.
Manure from Nazma’s three cows is fed into the device. The resulting methane fuels a biogas stove, allowing Nazma to cook means for her family free without the toxic smoke of burning wood.
The benefits were instantaneous. She no longer spends hours in the forest, and she saves 1,000 taka a month buying fuel from the market.
“Now I don’t need to worry about collecting wood for cooking. The biogas stove saves my time and reduces my expenses,” says Nazma.
She’s proud to be a participant in climate action in the place where it’s needed most.
