Ukraine makes agriculture more environmentally friendly

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced that it is considering allocation of 35 million Euros to a pig farming company Danosha (a subsidiary of the Danish Axzon Group), the Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs.

The loan to Danosha LLC will be given to ensure expansion of existing operations in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. It is expected that the total cost of the pig growing busi¬ness project will be 63 million euros. It includes construction of two biogas plants and restructuring of the balance. In September 2013, the company already launched its first biogas plant at a pig farm at Kalush, with capacity of 1.1 MW which cost 50 million UAH. The plant will recycle the pig farm waste into biogas, thermal and electrical en¬ergy. With its launch, the company expects to optimize the use of compost as organic fertilizer for the plants. 

According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine, construction of biogas plants for pig and poultry farms is very promising and profitable. Generation of energy using biogas has significant advantages over traditional methods, including environmental and social (creation of new jobs, especially in rural areas). 

Several problems are solved by the project. Farmers will be able to get the volume of biogas adequate to fully supply their production with heat and electricity.

 

Equally important is the environmental aspect. Pig farms are facilities with a large environmental footprint. Their waste can pose a serious environmental threat to large areas. Recycling is an important part of the production process. Therefore, experts say, the construction of biogas plants should be a mandatory component of the design and commissioning of pig farms. 

Experts say the environmental issue for agrarian sector is particularly important in view of its rapid development. In Ukraine, further construction and development of pig, poultry, cattle farms is beneficial to improve the added value generated in the agricultural sector. This will help increase profitability of agrarian businesses. This would also lead to the growth of environmental threats that need to be prevented.