In developing countries like Uganda, more than 80% of the population lives in the rural
areas where more than 90% of the energy being consumed comes from non-commercial
sources, the major one being fuel wood. The increasing cost of conventional fuel in urban
areas necessitates the exploration of other energy sources. Animal and plant wastes are
abundant especially in rural areas. Biogas can be produced from food wastes/refuse and
peelings as a substitute for fossil fuels.
The generation of biogas from food waste/refuse or peelings produces an energy
resource. The process also creates an excellent residue that retains the fertilizer value of
the original waste products.
The search for alternative source of energy such as biogas should be intensified so that
ecological disasters like deforestation, desertification, and erosion can be arrested.