Within the framework of the diversification of fertilizer sources and the need to complement the organic manure produced in composts, GIZ has initiated a project aimed at promoting the use of agro-ecological latrines for economic use. The agro-ecological latrine is commonly known by its Kirundi appellation- Akasuga (Akazu ka surwumwe gatanga amase) which means a toilet which generates fertilizer.
GIZ intends to support households in Mwaro, Bururi, and Rumonge Provinces who are capable of coming up with a small financial contribution to purchase these agro-ecological latrines. Given the scarcity of funds for households, the project intends to connect these households to nearby microfinance institutions to access micro-credits which will enable them to get the required funding needed to contribute in building these agro-ecological latrines.
It is in this context that GIZ approached German Sparkassenstiftung Eastern Africa (DSIK) for partnership in facilitating this task by formulating an approach for the financing of Akasuga agro-ecological latrines by microfinance institutions.
To facilitate access to micro-credits, DSIK in partnership with the Network of Microfinance Institutions approached local authorities to sensitize them about the project and it’s importance to members of savings groups based in their communities. The results from this sensitization campaign led to the organization of a workshop with stakeholder involved in the project about product development in agricultural finance which took place on the 23rd August 2019 at RIM premises facilitated by Mr. Stopka Claus Lambert Richard, an international consultant specialized in agricultural finance. He also made a field trip where he visited a savings group in Mugoboka commune, visited two households in Magara commune. He also visited the GIZ, the MFIs (WISE, CECM, ISHAKA, MECI) and 2 cooperatives that produce palm oil.
Local administrative authorities and MFIs are assisting in the process of identifying savings group in the project’s area of operations.Three awareness workshops are planned to take place in Rumonge Province, Bururi province, Mwaro province.
This project of facilitating the access of savings groups to micro-credits for the construction of AKASUGA agro-ecological latrines supports 3 sustainable development objectives (SDGs) :
SDG 2 : Zero Hunger
Organic manures reduce soil deterioration and this ensures that there is an increase in agricultural production
SDG 3 : Good health and well-being
Facilitating access to micro-credit for households for the construction of Agro-ecological toilets as part of the DSIK-GIZ collaboration will make it possible for them to self-finance basic sanitation facilities.
SDG 13 : Measures to combat climate change
Burundi has a serious problem linked to a lack of entrepreneurial initiative in the ecological field. As a result, we are currently observing environmental problems that considerably affect human life in the coastal area of Lake Tanganyika, as evidenced by the repeated outbreaks of cholera and other diseases linked to poor hygiene.
The introduction of the AKASUGA ecological latrine would therefore allow farmers to use human waste which are at the origin of these hygiene diseases as means to produce fertilizer for agriculture.
