Guwahati: High atop a picturesque hill in East Sikkim, nestled amidst eight remote villages, lies a story of resilience, innovation, and a commitment to a cleaner future.
Here, 120 families from Jitlang, Samsing, Chewriboty, Kayog, Lower Pachak, Mamjey, Kameray, and Bhasmey have traded the arduous trek for LPG cylinders and the harmful effects of firewood for a solution that’s not only clean but empowers their lives: biogas.
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Life on these hills wasn’t always easy. The absence of proper roads made obtaining essential cooking fuel like LPG cylinders a monthly ordeal. The long, uphill journey often meant resorting to firewood, a practice detrimental to both health and the environment.
Enter Sistema.bio, a global social enterprise dedicated to empowering smallholder farmers through modern biogas technology. Their compact biogas plants, specifically designed for farmers with 3-4 cattle, perfectly fit these villages.
Families started installing these bio-digesters one by one, and within months, a remarkable transformation took place. The villages became entirely LPG-free, with biogas taking center stage in their kitchens.
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But the benefits extended far beyond clean cooking fuel. These innovative bio-digesters provided a constant supply of nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, a crucial element in Sikkim‘s commitment to sustainable agriculture. The chemical-free fertilizer generated by the biogas plant perfectly addressed this need, ensuring healthy and productive farms.
The impact transcended environmental benefits. The average villager now saves a significant sum – an estimated Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 annually – on LPG and fertilizer costs. This financial relief creates a more secure and empowered future for these families.
Sistema.bio’s story goes beyond these eight villages. Founded in 2010, this global social enterprise has installed over 95,000 biogas units across 22 states in India. Their mission is to tackle poverty, food security, and climate change by empowering farmers with clean energy and sustainable practices.
Their biodigesters are more than just technology. They are tools for positive change, meticulously designed to address the unique needs of smallholder farmers. Sistema.bio works hand-in-hand with farmers, providing training, financing, and ongoing support to ensure the successful adoption of this transformative technology.
The results are impressive. Sistema.bio boasts over 125,000 installations across the globe, serving farmers in 33 countries. Their 2030 commitment is to reduce 1% of annual
Global GHG emissions by empowering 100 million farmers with clean energy and sustainable practices.