Forward7, Air Products & Sistema.bio come together to take mini biogas plants to homes of Bihar’s marginal farmers

Saudi Arabia’s Forward7 Initiative—formerly known as the Clean Fuel Solutions for Cooking Initiative—has collaborated with Air Products, a world-leading industrial gases company, and Sistema.bio, a leading social enterprise specializing in modern biogas technology, to launch a project providing subsidized Biodigesters to small farm owners in Begusarai district of Bihar.

Sistema.bio held that this initiative aims to install over 400 biogas plants across the region by March 2025, enhancing access to clean energy, improving farming practices, and driving rural development.

Under this project, biogas plants with a capacity of 2 cubic meters will be installed in the Begusarai area of Bihar. These systems convert organic waste into clean energy, reducing reliance on traditional cooking fuels. Additionally, the plants produce biofertilizer as a by-product, offering farmers an organic alternative to chemical fertilizers, improving soil quality, and reducing farming costs.

Forward7 supported by the Middle East Green Initiative, aims to transform the lives of rural communities by providing access to clean cooking solutions that improve health, empower women, uplift marginalized groups, and protect the environment by reducing CO2 emissions caused by using traditional cooking methods such as wood and coal.

The Bihar biogas project will also drive economic growth, create jobs, and develop infrastructure in rural areas. By scaling up international cooperation, it seeks to prevent and mitigate the impacts of climate change, while supporting a sustainable future. Forward7, is committed to providing millions of people with clean cooking solutions, contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7.

This collaboration will establish a robust project management strategy that includes proactively identifying potential risks, installation, quality control, end-user adaptation, and product affordability. Realistic and achievable goals are set based on Sistema.bio’s extensive experience and thorough market research, incorporating feedback from local organizations.

Resources are strategically allocated to essential tasks like farmer communication, digester installation, and maintenance training, leveraging 14 years of global experience and established local networks. Advanced data collection tools such as Salesforce and TaroWorks will monitor progress and track targets, with regular audit visits ensuring the initiative stays on course for successful completion by March 2025.

With national headquarters in Pune, Sistema has a team of over 800 people who work with 100,000+ smallholder farmers across 22 states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Assam, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.