Democratic Republic of Congo - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Nabahya Food Institute has embarked on an innovation to produce briquettes from crop residues, palm shells, coconut shells… in the city of Uvira, with a view to promote the briquettes as a sustainable source of household and food processing energy.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Nabahya Food Institute produces "Briquettes" which bring a unique approach of cooking food without destroying trees. The innovation was developed to mitigate deforestation happening in the area as most people use firewood as the main source of energy. This innovation reduces the household cooking energy expenses, boosts food productivity, avoids air pollution, protects natural resources and the environment, empowers women, and helps consumers save time and money. Briquettes also increase crops’ yields through the production of Biochar, bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. When briquettes ashes are mixed with human urine, manure and loaded Biochar boosts the crops yields by about 150% (p ≤ 0.05), when compared to local agricultural practice (soil without Biochar) at 60.4%. To achieve a circular economy, smallholder farmers supply the briquette raw materials to Nabahya Food Institute and receive payment, or briquettes, in return.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

The lack of clean energy is a specific barrier that plunges the communities in South-Kivu province into poverty and constitutes an obstacle to their economic empowerment. To cook food, they use firewood, cow dung and crop residue subjecting themselves to serious pollution and causing a massive destruction of trees. The region of Uvira and Fizi, forest resources are almost wiped out, and only wooded savannahs remain. This phenomenon of deforestation has reached a high level today and directly threatens water resources by drying up and drought, and thus destroys animal habitat, makes the socio-economic livelihoods of smallholder farmers so difficult, who can no longer harvest abundantly following the current adverse climatic conditions. To tackle this issue, Nabahya Food Institute started to produce briquettes as an alternative cooking energy to mitigate deforestation and pollution happening in the area as most people use firewood as the main source of cooking energy.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

This innovation reduces the household cooking energy expenses, boosts food productivity, avoids air pollution, protects natural resources and the environment, empowers women, and helps consumers save time and money.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our innovation end-users include smallholder farmers, households, restaurants, schools, hotels, and other businesses that use significant amounts of energy.

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-01-12

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

3

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

1

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

Guillain Nabahya, Chair-Director, Certified from the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, Guillain Nabahya is a Specialist in Project Planning and Management. He is a researcher in renewable clean energy and sustainable food systems that increase agricultural yields while avoiding air pollution, deforestation and climate change. In 2023, Guillain won two awards: the Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) and the TerraFund for AFR100 Champions. His initiative was recognized among the 48 best of the world in sustainability by the Food Planet Prize. Aimable SHUKURU, Executive Director Researcher at the University of Rural Development of Bukavu. He has managed various projects of Development in conflict and post-conflict zones with strong knowledge of the local context and needs of vulnerable people. Agnes Riziki, Treasurer, She has proven experience in innovation for the food, renewable energy and water nexus. Committed in improving lives of People living in extreme poverty.

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://nabahyafoodinstitute.org/448261453/448271689

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

5

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

To achieve a circular economy, smallholder farmers supply the briquette raw materials to Nabahya Food Institute and receive payment, or briquettes, in return. Compared to charcoal and firewood, this innovation (briquettes) improves the farming families’ household economy and enables each to save $27 per month.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

6

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Briquettes increase groundwater retention and crops’ yields through the production of Biochar, bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. When briquettes ashes are mixed with human urine, manure and loaded Biochar boosts the crops yields by about 150% (p ≤ 0.05), when compared to local agricultural practice (soil without Biochar) at 60.4%.

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

5

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

This innovation reduces the household cooking energy expenses, boosts food productivity, avoids air pollution, protects natural resources and the environment, empowers women, and helps consumers save time and money.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Smallholder farmers are trained in the farmer-field schools on how to use Biochar product and briquettes ashes as bio fertilizer.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

6

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

The briquettes are sold through ambassadors, most of whom are women. The product is also sold through a B2B model where businesses purchase briquettes for resale to retailers and directly to end-users.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

2

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

Briquettes replace firewood and charcoal.

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

6

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

The innovation creates jobs for women and young people as distributers or ambassador sellers.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

The product is an innovation, where palm shells and crops residue are processed into bio-fuel called "Briquettes". Briquettes replace firewood and charcoal. Hence makes it possible to save trees.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

6

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

To economically empower the most affected vulnerable, Nabahya Food Institute supplies briquettes on credit to customers belonging to the agricultural cooperatives partner to the project and prioritize this category in selection of the Ambassador sellers as the innovation was designed to meet the energy needs of people living in extreme poverty and whose income is low.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

2

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

6

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

We produce our briquettes locally with respect to the Environmental Social and Governance, the Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan, and the ESMS.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Briquettes help to save trees and avoid air pollution.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

We protect trees from being cut for cooking fuel.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

N/A

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

We are partner to Water and Energy for Food Grand Challenge for Development (WE4F). WE4F is an international initiative jointly supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of the Netherlands, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). We are also partner to TerraFund for AFR100 Landscapes Restoration Champions, a program jointly run by World Resources Institute, One Tree Planted and Realize Impact. Other partners: Solar Cooking Kozon Netherland, Griot Consulting Ltd, Green Power Solutions, Passion of Hope International USA.

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.08 Justification for my startup

This is an innovation which has never been tried in Uvira. The product is very unique and new in the market. Our innovation enables households to cook food without cutting trees nor polluting the air.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Actually no other business is making briquettes in Uvira. Local small scale traders sell charcoal and firewood, then destroying the forest.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes, Within our programs at Nabahya Food Institute, we have the WEP(Women Empowerment Program) which promotes women in acquiring useful skills they need to become productive, through our tailoring workshop, Ambassador sellers, Farmer cooperatives and the Farmer field-schools.