Organization makes astounding breakthrough with plant wreaking havoc on community food supply — and the solution is incredibly profitable

This invasive plant is a problem, but with new breakthroughs, hopefully not for long.

As detailed by Business Daily Africa, the Kanyadhiang Briquettes Nyale Community-based Organization has developed a way to turn a big problem into a sustainable solution.

It all started with the water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic weed that quickly took over Lake Victoria, located in Tanzania and Uganda and bordering Kenya. It suffocated the surface of the lake, making it difficult — if not impossible — for local fishermen to sail through.

Ibrahim Kasera, the chairman of the Kendu Bay Beach Management Unit, told Business Daily the hyacinth has caused "our daily catch has reduced to less than 200 kilogrammes, which is a threat to food security."

Many organizations tried and failed to remove the hyacinth — until the Kanyadhiang Briquettes Nyale CBO.

Using the hyacinth, flour, and other ingredients, founder Mary Adhiambo and other organization members are able to create briquettes for cooking. Briquettes are combustible biomass used to start and kindle fires.

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"The main advantage of briquettes is that they help in environmental conservation, especially when we use water hyacinth, which is naturally found in the lake. This eliminates the need to cut down trees to make charcoal," Adhiambo said to Business Daily.

Briquettes are an alternative charcoal, reducing the need to chop down trees, as Adhiambo explained to Business Daily. And since the Kanyadhiang Briquettes Nyale CBO is using hyacinth, their method "is like killing three birds with one stone," per the report.

With the hyacinth removed, fishermen can more easily catch fish again, feeding others and boosting the economy, while CBO group members can sell the briquettes for income. Adhiambo also told Business Daily that briquettes last longer than charcoal and don't produce smoke.

🗣️ Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?

🔘 Absolutely 💯

🔘 It depends on the species 🤔

🔘 I don't know 🤷

🔘 No — leave nature alone 🙅

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

Kanyadhiang Briquettes Nyale CBO, launched in 2021, is still finding new ways to streamline the process of making briquettes. With the help of other environmental organizations, it has obtained mixing machines, dryers that run on solar — a low-cost, clean energy source — and is experimenting with other natural ingredients, like banana leaves.

"Our long-term plan is to have employees making the briquettes and this organization being registered as a company," Adhiambo told Business Daily.