Migori County is set to experience a general environment cleanup following the establishment of a green hub by a private investor Company, Women in Cold Chain, Agriculture and Renewable Energy (WICCARE) Africa Limited.
The company is to invest in a multi-pronged production of a chain of products tailored to protect the region’s environment and fixing back land fertility that has been interfered with in the past years as a result of the retrogressive human farming practices.
WICARRE is currently establishing a green hub worth over Sh60 million shillings at Nyailing’a village, Suna West Sub County, within Migori, which would provide green and renewable energy to the local people and beyond.
According to the Company Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Fidoh Kens Ochieng, the investment is a pioneering social enterprise focused on transforming waste into energy while empowering female-led entrepreneurship.
Some of the lined up products to be manufactured by this company through the multi-million investments are alternative cooking fuels, organic fertilizer and other biomass products for green energy.
“Energy is central to WICCARE’s mission to improve lives and protect the planet through sustainable energy solutions by specializing in providing high-quality, renewable, clean, and efficient energy alternatives, said the CEO when he took KNA crew on a tour of the Company field site where the construction of the factory is ongoing.
The factory will be fully operational by the end of this year, he announced, adding that WICCARE will also be giving back to the community safe drinking water by drilling boreholes and establishing water kiosks in designated spots within the Nyailing’a Community.
Ochieng said that they will be engaging the Migori County government to access organic waste from markets, a key ingredient material in producing WICCARE products like Biochar, Biomass Pellets, Biomass briquettes, among other products.
“Our machines that will be installed by July this year will be able to produce three tonnes per hour of biomass briquettes and two tonnes per hour of biomass Pellets,” the CEO explained.
The Company has entered into business agreements with the Awendo-based Sony Sugar company, the Trans-Mara Sugar factory and the Ndhiwa-Based Sugar Company to supply it with millions of tonnes of bagasse to produce the much important environment friendly products.
While from the vast-Rice fields within the Lower-Kuja irrigation scheme in Nyatike will supply the factory with rice stalks to manufacture the Eco-friendly innovative biomass and fuel
Biomass pellets are an excellent energy-dense, clean-burning and renewable alternative fuel to traditional fuels like firewood, charcoal or heating oil. The cylindrical-shaped pellets are created from compressed organic materials like agricultural residues and sawdust.
On the other hand, the biomass briquettes are compressed blocks of biomass used as an efficient, sustainable and eco-friendly fuel source. The product is made from materials such as agricultural residues and wood waste.
Ochieng disclosed that they will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Migori County on the issue of organic fertiliser.
WICCARE will be producing Biochar-organic fertilizer that is a carbon-rich material highly valued for its ability to enhance soil fertility, improve water retention, and store carbon, a benefits both the farmers and the environment.
The organic fertilizer is a soil amendment product that helps to regenerate depleted agricultural soil, as well as a catalyst for yield improvements.
WICCARE will also be targeting to empower 50,000 Migori women by educating them on and providing them with is known as ‘Mimi Moto’ Cooking Stove.
‘Mimi Moto’ is an ultimate cooking stove specially designed to burn biomass pellets made from locally available biomass such as wood or agricultural residues in a very clean and efficient way, explained the CEO.
He said that the women will be getting biomass pellets from WICCARE at a cheaper price, an ideal green energy that will benefit women’s savings of over 50 percent as compared to Charcoal, LPG or firewood.
The company, which is set to be officially launched in July this year, has already employed 12 professionals and ten casuals with an intention to employ at least 150 casuals from the county.
The establishment has already consumed 40 million in terms of acquisition of machines, land and construction equipment. The official explained that another 16-20 million will be needed for the hub to start operations in July.
Isaack Bosire, an Environmental and Carbon Expert at WICCARE, said that the operation at the firm is a green project with a special focus on organic waste.
Bosire noted that the firm has done an environmental, social and impact assessment report with public participation at the core.
On the issues of emissions, waste management and noise pollution, Bosire said that the firm has already complied with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) guidelines, and they will be following the set guidelines to make the project a success.
WICCARE will also revolutionise the cold chain by providing reliable and energy-efficient cold chain solutions to fish farmers in Migori. The cold chain will support the storage and transportation of temperature-sensitive products like fish and horticulture to ensure quality and waste reduction.
By Makokha Khaoya and George Agimba
