SF-BioVac

The Sustainable Futures- Biogas Value Chain for Circular Economy Competence Growth in Zambia (SF-BioVaC) Project aims at contributing to “High-quality, inclusive and working life relevant higher education in Zambia to support sustainable development and the transition towards a circular economy with biogas as an alternative form of energy”.  This is achieved by building capacity in the partner HEIs through theoretical and practical training in circular economy (CE) in the waste-to-energy sector in Zambia with focus on biogas. This cooperation is both the result and continuation of an already existing cooperation between Novia UAS, UNZA and CBU, with University of Oulu as a new member to the consortium. The project also closely works with key stakeholders such as the Rural Electrification Authority of Zambia as a non-academic partner and project activities will involve industry in both countries.

Zambia is currently facing a big challenge in managing waste as it affects both environment and the well-being of the population, especially the most vulnerable ones as they are often the ones who suffer from bad waste management. Zambia’s government has indicated the political will to solve the waste problem and is eager to support cooperations such as this. Furthermore, Zambia has an electricity capacity shortfall of 165 MW, and the country produces a considerable amount of biowaste coming from the agricultural, farming and food processing industry to mention a few. Biogas has the potential to produce energy hence cutting dependency on fossil fuels and can be an off-grid system, extending its applicability to rural areas. Additionally, there is potential to produce local biofertilizer (digestate) from available municipal organic waste and livestock manure from commercial facilities that would meet a significant share of the country’s fertilizer demand.

The partners in this project build capacities within the biogas value chain and introduce sustainable business models and circular design to contribute to solving some of the challenges mentioned above. The project contributes to increasing the institutional capacity of the HEIs in CE to be able provide a work-life relevant education, to improve students’ and teachers' applied research skills and strengthen the university-industry collaboration, widening the awareness of CE and its potential. 

Whilst the focus is on Zambia, HEIs in both Finland and Zambia benefit from the project, as it creates competence growth in sustainability and circular economy from a global perspective. 

Key results to be achieved:

1. Provide working-life relevant higher education through strengthened capacities at institutional level in partner HEIs.

2. Improved pedagogical approaches, with increased technical capacities of staff in the field of circular economy.