A high school in Murehwa is exploring an innovative way to turn waste into wealth by commercialising liquid organic fertiliser derived from its biogas system.
St Paul’s Musami Mission High School is assessing the viability of producing and selling fertiliser from slurry generated by a biogas digester installed at the institution.
The project follows the installation of a 50-cubic-metre digester by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), aimed at cutting electricity costs through alternative energy for cooking and water heating.
While the digester primarily produces methane gas, the school has identified an additional opportunity in the nutrient-rich slurry generated as a by-product.
During a recent tour by government and local authority officials led by Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Itai Ndudzo, Form 4 learner Makanaka Makonese highlighted the dual benefits of the project.
“The biogas digester not only provides a reliable source of energy for cooking but also produces slurry that can be used as organic fertiliser,” she said.
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Agriculture teacher Caleb Tichaenzana Chikukwa said the school is already working to improve the product's quality before it reaches the market.
“We are conducting experiments to remove the smell from the slurry before we start packaging it for agricultural use,” he said.
Once refined, the initiative is expected to offer farmers an affordable alternative to conventional fertilisers while creating a potential revenue stream for the school.
The project reflects a growing shift toward circular, sustainable solutions in rural institutions, where waste is repurposed into valuable agricultural inputs.
According to REA, at least 26 institutional biogas digesters have been installed across Mashonaland East Province as part of efforts to promote clean energy adoption in schools and public facilities.