On May 27, the “Training Course on Biogas Technology for African English-speaking Countries in 2015”opened in Chengdu at Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture (BIOMA). The course is sponsored by Ministry of Commerce of China and organized by BIOMA. Senior officials from Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Special Commissioner’s Office of MOC of China in Chengdu, Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce and BIOMA were present at the opening ceremony.

At the opening ceremony, participant representative Mr. Justice TSOLO from Lesotho expressed gratitude to the Chinese government and BIOMA for this great opportunity to learn biogas technology and gain a better understanding of Chinese culture. He believed that biogas is the best answer to the energy and environment challenges in Africa. Deputy director general of BIOMA Mr. Hu Guoquan extended warm welcome to the participants and expressed thanks to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, theSpecial Commissioner’s Office of MOC of China in Chengdu, and the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce for their long time guidance and support to the international training work of BIOMA. He hoped that this course would contribute to the development of renewable energies and the protection of ecological environment through the promotion of biogas technology in Africa. Mr. HAN Nanping,division director at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences expressed his heart-felt congratulations on the opening of this training course, and believed that this training course is a good way to share China’s biogas expertise with friends from other developing countries and he also hoped that such kind of training course can serve as a starting point of future cooperation between China and Africa.

This course is the 61st training session held by BIOMA since its establishment. It lasts for 45 days from May 26 to July 9, and has 31 participants from 12 African countries. The contents of this training includes introduction to biogas development in China, design and construction of rural household biogas digesters, fermentation process of large and medium biogas plants, biogas microbiology, etc. During the course, participants will also visit some pilot biogas plants and companies. This course is aimed to promote China’s biogas technology to African countries and is sure to promote exchanges and cooperation between China and African countries on biogas and renewable energies.

Editor by Zhang Wen