République démocratique du Congo - Startup de moins de 3 ans

Décrivez votre projet en quelques mots

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 Décrivez votre startup en détail

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 Quel est le problème principal que vous essayez de résoudre ?

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 Dites-nous quels sont les principaux avantages et/ou bénéfices de l'utilisation du produit/service fourni par votre startup (au moins 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 Veuillez décrire précisément à qui s'adresse le produit/service de votre startup. Quels sont les bénéficiaires visés ?

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

01.05 Quand votre entreprise a-t-elle été créée ?

12/01/2023

01.06 Vendez-vous déjà votre produit/service ?

Oui

01.07 Combien y a-t-il de propriétaires de votre entreprise en plus de vous ?

3

01.08 Parmi les autres propriétaires, combien sont des femmes ?

1

01.09 Veuillez décrire le profil des autres propriétaires de votre startup (compétences, expérience, 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 Si vous avez un site web, une page sur les médias sociaux (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin...) ou une application, veuillez fournir le(s) lien(s) ici :

https://nabahyafoodinstitute.org/448261453/448271689

01.11 Quel est le secteur d'activité qui décrit le mieux votre entreprise ?

Énergie (équipements, services, énergie durable et fossiles)

02.01.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Pas de pauvreté'

5

02.01.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Faim Zéro'

6

02.02.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Bonne Santé et Bien Être'

5

02.03.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Éducation de Qualité'

5

02.04.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Égalité entre les Sexes'

6

02.05.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Eau Propre et Assainissement'

2

02.06.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

N/A

02.07.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Énergie Propre et Abordable'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.07.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Briquettes replace firewood and charcoal.

02.08.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Travail Décent et Croissance Économique'

6

02.08.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

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

02.09.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Industrie, Innovation et Infrastructure'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.09.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Réduction des Inégalités'

6

02.10.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Villes et Communautés Durables'

2

02.11.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

N/A

02.12.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Consommation et Production Responsables'

6

02.12.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Lutte contre les Changements Climatiques'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.13.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Briquettes help to save trees and avoid air pollution.

02.14.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Vie Sous-Marine'

1 - pas du tout d'accord

02.14.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

N/A

02.15.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Vie Terrestre'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.15.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

We protect trees from being cut for cooking fuel.

02.16.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Paix, Justice et Institutions Efficaces'

1 - pas du tout d'accord

02.16.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

N/A

02.17.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Parteneriats pour la Réalisation des Objectifs'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.17.02 Justification de la contribution de ma 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 Un grand nombre de clients utilisent déjà un produit/service très similaire au nôtre.

1 = Pas du tout d'accord

06.02 Notre produit/service représente un type de produit/service entièrement nouveau

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

06.03 Notre produit/service pourrait être décrit comme une nouvelle technologie

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

06.04 Notre produit/service est une amélioration d'un produit ou d'un service existant

1 - Pas du tout d'accord

06.05 Notre produit/service pourrait être décrit comme une extension d'une gamme de produits ou de services

1 - Pas du tout d'accord

06.06 Notre produit/service répond à une demande ou à un besoin qui n'a pas été satisfait par d'autres produits/services.

1 - Pas du tout d'accord

06.07 Notre produit/service est une nouvelle version d'un ancien produit/service

1 - Pas du tout d'accord

06.08 Justification

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 Analyse compétitive

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

11.05 Menez-vous des actions au sein de votre communauté pour promouvoir le rôle des femmes 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.