The Vihiga county government has commissioned a project that will process cheap fertiliser from human waste to cushion farmers against high prices of artificial fertiliser and boost agriculture.
The Sh17 million decentralised wastewater treatment facility, commonly referred to as the bio-digester, will also deliver a cleaner environment.
The plant that is located at Ehedwe, on the outskirts of Mbale town, the county's headquarters, will be processing human waste of up to six exhausters per day.
James Odiero, the county director of water and sanitation said waste-turned-fertiliser would be sold to farmers at a cost of between Sh300 and Sh500 per bag in a plan he noted is promising big returns.
The Sh17 million was received from Water Trust Fund with Sh4 million going towards construction of toilets for neighbouring households to make the raw material available.
"Through this project, we will clean human waste from toilets and then process the sludge into fertiliser that will be sold to farmers for between Sh300 and Sh500 per bag," Mr Odiero said.
"This will give back returns that were spent on the construction of the project. Every day, we will clean 50 cubic metres that is equivalent to 50,000 litres of waste supplied by six exhausters," he explained.
"This project will help clean our environment as it will take waste of all manner and keep it. It will also end the culture of constructing toilets every time," Dr Ottichilo said.
