World Food Day & Biogas: Fueling a Sustainable Future

 

 By Dr. A. Sajidas – International Biogas Consultant & Managing

Director,  BIOTECH Renewable Energy 

Honoring World Food Day: A Call to Action

Every year on October 16, the world comes together to observe World Food Day, commemorating the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. This day is more than a symbolic gesture—it’s a global call to action to eradicate hunger, ensure food security, and promote sustainable agriculture. The 2025 theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” emphasizes collaboration across sectors to transform agrifood systems and build a resilient, equitable world.

Despite technological progress and increased food production, millions still face hunger and malnutrition. Climate change, soil degradation, food waste, and unsustainable farming practices continue to threaten global food systems. Addressing these challenges requires innovative, inclusive, and scalable solutions—and biogas technology stands out as a powerful ally.

Biogas: The Circular Solution to Food System Challenges

Biogas plants convert organic waste—such as food scraps, crop residues, and animal manure—into clean energy and nutrient-rich bio-slurry. This process not only reduces methane emissions (a potent greenhouse gas) but also closes the loop in food systems by turning waste into valuable resources.

Here’s how biogas directly supports the aims of World Food Day:

1. Reducing Food Waste 

Globally, nearly one-third of all food produced is wasted. Biogas plants offer a sustainable way to manage this waste, especially in urban and peri-urban areas. Instead of ending up in landfills, food waste is transformed into energy and fertilizer, contributing to cleaner cities and reduced emissions.

2. Improving Soil Health

The bio-slurry produced from biogas digesters is a potent organic fertilizer. It enhances soil fertility, improves water retention, and reduces the need for chemical inputs that harm ecosystems and contaminate food chains. Healthier soil means better yields and more nutritious food.

3. Empowering Farmers

Biogas systems provide decentralized energy for cooking, irrigation, and food processing. This is especially transformative for smallholder farmers, who gain access to reliable energy and organic inputs, reducing costs and increasing productivity.

4. Promoting Climate Resilience

By reducing reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating methane emissions, biogas contributes to climate-smart agriculture. It helps communities adapt to changing weather patterns and build resilience against climate shocks.

5. Supporting Circular Economies

Biogas embodies the principles of the circular economy—waste is not discarded but reintegrated into the production cycle. This aligns perfectly with World Food Day’s vision of sustainable consumption and production.

My Role: Championing Biogas for Global Food Security

As an international biogas consultant and Managing Director of BIOTECH Renewable Energy, I have dedicated my life to advancing biogas technology as a tool for sustainable development. My journey spans decades of advocacy, innovation, and collaboration across continents.

Technology Transfer & Capacity Building

One of my core missions has been to democratize access to biogas technology. Through strategic partnerships, licensing models, and joint ventures, I’ve facilitated the transfer of biogas systems to countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These efforts ensure that local communities can manufacture, maintain, and scale biogas solutions independently.

Knowledge Sharing & Guidelines

I’ve authored and contributed to numerous technical guidelines, investment profiles, and training manuals that help governments, NGOs, and entrepreneurs implement biogas projects effectively. These resources are tailored to diverse contexts—from rural villages to urban municipalities—and emphasize scalability, affordability, and impact.

Advocacy & Outreach

World Food Day is not just a technical milestone—it’s a moment to inspire. I’ve led campaigns, social media outreach, and public events that connect biogas to broader movements like climate action, SDG alignment, and community empowerment. My messaging bridges science and emotion, showing how biogas can transform lives, protect the planet, and build hope.

Global Collaboration

I’ve worked with international organizations, including FAO, UNDP, and regional consortiums, to integrate biogas into national food security strategies and climate resilience plans. These collaborations ensure that biogas is not seen as a niche solution but as a mainstream pillar of sustainable development.   

Real-World Impact: Stories from the Field

In Kenya, biogas units installed in farming cooperatives have reduced post-harvest losses and provided energy for milk chilling and grain drying. In India, community-scale digesters in Kerala have transformed food waste from markets and households into cooking fuel for schools and hostels. In Haiti, biogas systems have replaced charcoal in disaster-prone areas, reducing deforestation and improving health outcomes.

These stories are not isolated—they are part of a growing global movement that sees waste as opportunity and energy as empowerment.

Real-World Impact: Stories from the Field

To fully realize the potential of biogas in achieving World Food Day’s goals, we must:

Integrate biogas into national food and energy policies Invest in research and innovation, especially for feedstock optimization and modular designs Support local manufacturing and entrepreneurship Educate communities about the benefits and maintenance of biogas systems Foster cross-sector partnerships that link agriculture, energy, health, and environment.

At BIOTECH Renewable Energy, we are expanding our global footprint through new licensing agreements, pilot projects, and digital platforms that make biogas knowledge accessible to all.

A Message to Changemakers

World Food Day is a reminder that food is not just a commodity—it’s a right, a culture, and a connection to the Earth. Biogas technology honors this connection by making food systems more just, resilient, and regenerative.

To my fellow experts, activists, and dreamers: let’s continue to innovate, collaborate, and advocate. Let’s turn every banana peel, every cow dung, every crop residue into a beacon of hope. Let’s build a world where no one goes hungry, and no resource goes to waste.

Join the Movement

Whether you’re a policymaker, farmer, student, or entrepreneur, you have a role to play. Share this message, support biogas initiatives, and be part of the solution.

Together, we can turn waste into wealth, energy into equity, and vision into reality.