The Challenge

The collapse of the Soviet Union with its collective farm system left Kyrgyz farmers poor. They lack small-farming technology and 25 years later are still in poverty. Overgrazing has depleted pasturelands, shortsighted farming methods have degraded the land, and farmers are dependent on imported chemical fertilizers. Because of the relatively high costs of imported fuels, coal is used to heat greenhouses for high demand foods such as tomatoes and cucumbers.  This is a highly polluting, labor-intensive (night shift work) means of keeping food production going in the winter. 

Meanwhile, every farmer has animals and a source of premium fertilizer and clean renewable energy that is going to waste. The odorless effluent from a biogas digester is free from dangerous pathogens and weed seeds that come with spreading raw animal manure on fields. Biofertilizer studies consistently show increased crop production – at times dramatic increases. Also as bacteria breaks down manure in the digester, methane is released, a directly burnable fuel source that could heat a vegetable greenhouse doubling the growing season. 

A Solution

Integrated CA is processing animal manure in a bio-digester which produces organic fertilizer to restore depleted farmland, and renewable fuel (methane) for heat, cooking and industry – like greenhouses in the harsh winters for year-around vegetable production. Partnering with companies across the ag sector as well as NGO’s, educational, and government entities, Sustainable Farming R&D demonstrates to Kyrgyz farmers a more ecological, effective, and profitable way.

Their current main product is producing bio-fertilizer to be sold to local farmers which is both cheaper and more eco-friendly than convectional chemical fertilizer.

Business Activities Geared Towards Promoting Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Life on Land:

Target: Promote and support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. (Adapted from target 8.3)

Target: Encourage the local community to adopt sustainable farming practices (Adapted from target 12.6)

Target: Integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into local planning, development processes, and poverty reduction strategies. (Adapted from target 15.9)

Measured by:

• Number of full-time employees.

• Number of part-time employees.

• Description what has been developed on the Integrated farm.

• Number of cubic meters of free, renewable, eco-friendly fuel (biogas) that have been produced each quarter.

• Number of metric tons of bio-fertilizer that was distributed each quarter.

• Number of farmers introduced to the bio-digester model (ended Q2 2022) who experimented with biofertilizer each quarter (**new Q3 2022).

• Number of farmers who adopted the integrated bio-digester model (ended Q2 2022) each quarter.

• Establish a butcher shop/logistic center to provide meat directly to homes through home delivery, thereby increasing the sustainability of ICA through beef sales.

  • Measured by: Number of homes served with food deliveries.

  • Measured by: Kilograms of beef sold. (Metric ending Q2 2022)

Integrated CA is processing animal manure in a bio-digester which produces organic fertilizer to restore depleted farmland, and renewable fuel (methane) for heat, cooking and industry – like greenhouses in the harsh winters for year-around vegetable production. Partnering with companies across the ag sector as well as NGO’s, educational, and government entities, Sustainable Farming R&D demonstrates to Kyrgyz farmers a more ecological, effective, and profitable way.

What Does Your Donation Go Towards?

• Develop the property

• Build the bio-digester, greenhouse, and systems

• Hire and train local employees

• Building supplies and sales

• Build research/training facility

• Sponsor demonstrations and trainings at the farm

• Support early adopters