admin | July 17, 2025
News Brief
In northern Ethiopia, invasive water hyacinth once destroyed Fentie Wabi’s livelihood on Lake Tana. It clogged fishing nets, blocked boats, and ruined farmland. But a pilot project led by Dr. Yezbie Kassa offered a solution: turning the weed into biogas. Mr. Wabi now uses the gas for cooking and lighting, and bioslurry to boost crop yields. Though the project began with just five households, it’s sparked growing interest—especially among women. With support, this eco-friendly solution could benefit communities across Ethiopia battling water hyacinth.
For years, Fentie Wabi made a living fishing on Lake Tana in northern Ethiopia. But when water hyacinth—a fast-growing invasive weed—took over the lake, everything changed.
He says, “The weed damaged our nets, blocked our boats, and made it impossible to fish in areas we depended on. It didn’t just hurt the lake—it threatened our whole way of life.”
Local residents like Mr. Wabi tried removing the weed by hand, but it quickly grew back. The waste piled up, taking over nearby land and creating new problems.
Then came a new solution: turning water hyacinth into biogas. Mr. Wabi was one of the first in his village to volunteer for a pilot project that uses the plant to produce clean household energy.
He says, “After installing the biogas system, we saw a big difference.” His family now uses the gas for cooking and lighting, reducing their need for firewood. He also uses the leftover bioslurry—a natural fertilizer—on his small farm. He says, “My crops look healthier and yield more than before. And I don’t have to buy expensive fertilizer from the market.”
The project was led by Dr. Yezbie Kassa, a researcher at the University of Gondar, who saw the damage the weed caused during her research on the lake.
She says, “This plant spreads quickly, displaces native species, and hurts the communities that rely on the lake for food and income. We needed to turn the problem into an opportunity.”
The biogas system works by mixing water hyacinth with animal dung inside a digester. Over time, the mixture breaks down and produces gas, which can be used for cooking and lighting.
Although the pilot project included only five households, it showed what’s possible. Some villagers were sceptical at first, but once they saw the results, interest grew—especially among women, who no longer needed to collect firewood or cook over smoky stoves.
Experts say expanding the project will require government support, funding, and lower material costs. But with water hyacinth spreading rapidly across Ethiopia, Dr. Kassa believes the approach could help many more communities.
Photo: Firshermen on a water hyacinth-infested lake. In Ethiopia, this fast-spreading aquatic weed began choking the Lake Tana that had sustained the local community. Copyright: Pradipta (CC0).
This story is adapted from an article written by Solomon Yimer for SciDev.Net, titled “Invasive lake weed turned to clean energy in Ethiopia” To read the full story, go to: https://www.scidev.net/global/supported-content/invasive-lake-weed-turned-to-clean-energy-in-ethiopia/