The Baobab Home is completely off grid. Our solar installation provides all of the energy needs for our farm and school. We also have solar-powered campus lighting donated by CSI Electrical. Not only does this save us a great deal of money, but it also safeguards the farm from the all too common Tanzanian power outages. Back in 2014, a generous grant from Dar Rotary Club North enabled us to be fully powered by solar electricity, even when it rains! Solar provides a great educational tool for teaching students about alternative energy solutions.
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In 2011, we were given a grant by the United States Embassy to install a 50 cubic meter biogas digester under the ground near our cowshed. Every day we add cow manure to the cement tank and the gas that is produced flows through a pipe to our kitchen where it becomes free cooking gas to run our stove and oven. The technology is simple and effective and we use the gas for cooking most of the meals in our kitchen. Over the years this has saved many hundreds of trees and many thousands of dollars. The degassed manure makes excellent fertilizer for our farm.
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Tanzania has experienced 6 major droughts in the last 30 years so water security is always at the forefront of our minds. Integral to our water strategy is the collection of rainwater for use around the farm. Large tanks ranging from 1000 liters to 50,000 liters are strategically placed to capture and store rainwater. Many of our building roofs are equipped with an efficient gutter system that channels rainwater into these storage tanks. We can use this water to irrigate our garden, top up our fish ponds, shower, and clean dishes. In an emergency, rain can be filtered to make it drinkable. By harvesting rain, we make the most of all water sources that are available to us. We lower our water costs, and contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly farming operation.
Beneath our shamba is limestone, so well water is plentiful but of variable quality. Our ring well is always fresh but dependent on the rain, so often in short supply. Our main source is still city water, but we are always working to be more self-reliant.
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