16 Oct 2022

Lobatse Town Council has become the first in Botswana to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation projects with European Union (EU) assistance.

It recently trained a total of 30 beneficiaries on the operation  of such projects which included six dealing with biogas production, 10 on solar electricity generation while 12 were working on a waste recycling project. 

The projects are funded by the EU to the tune of 225 000 Euros.

The council's principal physical planner, Ms Gaokgakala Sobatha said the beneficiaries were selected on the basis of their poor economic status as the aim was to uplift their lives. 

She said beneficiaries would be able to generate electricity for cooking and lighting their houses.

That would stop them from using firewood for cooking, she said.

Ms Sobatha said the use of firewood should be discouraged as it contributed to global warming.

EU head of cooperation for Botswana and SADC, Mr Clement Boutillier applauded the council for showing commitment towards implementing the climate change mitigation programme.

 He noted that it was the first council in Botswana to be supported by the EU on such projects. 

"We hope that Lobatse will be able to set an example for other towns and cities in Botswana," he said.

Mr Boutillier said the projects should have started in 2020 but were delayed by the outbreak of COVID-19

He said environmentally friendly projects contributed to actions that took care of the planet.

A technical expert and Construction Industry Trust Fund  lecturer, Mr Simon Rantshese noted that materials needed for biogas generation were easy to source since it was any bio-degradable waste. 

Human and cattle waste produced high yields of biogas while food waste and grass could also be used to produce the gas, he said.

Mr Rantshese said contents of the biogas pot, a gas production facility, took seven to 21 days to ferment.

He explained that the pot needed to be fed with waste everyday and that after the fermentation process, gas would be produced on a continuous basis.

 "The gas is flammable and can cause fire if not handled with care," warned Mr Rantshese.

Lobatse deputy mayor, Mr Phemelo Masisi said the projects would promote the use of renewable energy in the town.