Eva ten Velden
Meeting Takatso Mofokeng 3
Date: 04-12-2015
Place: Farm of Takatso Mofokeng
Participants:
- Takatso Mofokeng (Project owner)
- Steven Roerink (Team member)
- Yonis le Grand (Team member)
- Job Seuren (Team member)
- Eva ten Velden (Team member)
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes. The meeting has been recorded (Folder A, record 3). This is why sometimes there is a time mentioned in between brackets.
This time Takatso wanted to come by to ask some questions about the final report of the previous group. “I don’t understand everything of the report” (1 minute 51 sec):
- The map in the report gives the wrong impression. There are much more possible suppliers than this map shows. We have to make a new map with all the suppliers, even the ones we don’t use. We can separate the suppliers we use of the ones we don’t use by colour and draw a route between the ones we do use. We also have to say why we don’t use some of the suppliers.
- The calculations of the dimensions of the digester and the quantity of the produced biogas were not clear for Takatso. He thought the digester would be much bigger and the produced biogas much less than the prototype he already uses. Job explained the calculation to him.
- Takatso sees no recommendation based on the previous group their assistance. He asked us if we know with feedstock will be the best. We answered with the facts we know:
o Max 10% fat
o We have to get a stable input
o C/N ratio
We have to ask Henry about that material is needed for the feedstock (around 24 minutes)
- Also the selling of fertilizer and CO2 are not mentioned in the report (around 1 hour and 17 minutes). We answered that you only have to separate CO2 from the CH4 when there is less than 55% CH4 in the gas. But according to Takatso you have to at least mention in the report that it is possible to sell CO2 (around 1 hour and 20 minutes)
- The fertilizor is free of chemicals and cheaper. Great for townships and it is a security of foodproduction.
After his questions we turned to our own work. The last week we had several meetings with possible suppliers. We know now that we can have more biomass than the previous group thought.
- For now we have; fat, dung, food waste and abattoir waste for the feedstock. Takatso mentioned that we could also use grain and grass. Grain will be in food waste and therefore Takatso mentioned that we should also visit some hospitals in Heidelberg, Boxberg and nearby the township.
- We have to get a constant supply (around 27 minutes). Takatso doesn’t think constancy will be a problem. Takatso has 40 hectare of planted grass and he can stimulate this which the produced fertilizer. So there will always be enough grass to feed the fertilizer. Also in the winter because he could store the grass.
- Takatso also mentioned this “I can open the doors for you” (around 34 minutes)
- We also have to find Hatting (around 36 minutes) Takatso explains how we can get there.
The next subject of our meeting was about the universities (around 37 minutes).
- Takatso doesn’t know how it is going with the university, but he knows that the whole situation was destabilizing.
- Yonis asked about the option of the university of the uncle of Yonis and Takatso was enthusiastic. We should write an email to the uncle and let Takatso know how this works out. He literally said “we can do that” (around 39 minutes) “sent him an email, sent me a copy and his contact details” (around 41 minutes)
- Takatso hasn’t contacted Mayer yet, we have to send Takatso his number (around 42 minutes)
- The problem of UniSA is that it is not a residential university (45.50 minutes)à the students are everywhere we can’t ask them to help us from everywhere in South Africa.
- When students came to the farm of Takatso they used to study about cattle production, vegetable production and chicken. Now Takatso wants to focus on Beef and Biogas. (around 46 minutes)
Takatso also asked us about the funding (around 43 minutes):
- National research foundation NRF and also CSIR fund research. The formal president of the NRF is a friend of Takatso. Takatso will call this friend (around 45 minutes)
We have to ask around if there are students who know something about biogas (around 48 minutes)
After this meeting we discovered for the first time the name of the second worker at the farm. The workers are called Kabelo and Taban (around 50 minutes).
The event with farmers at the farm will take place after the 15th of Januari (around 57 minutes)
Then we came to a practical subject of our meeting. Nqobile wants her car back after we come back from holiday. (around 53 minutes) This is why we get the beatle and a Mercedes. We have to use the beatle between our farm and the farm of abdule. At the farm of abdule we can park the Mercedes because the Mercedes can’t ride at the road to our farm.
After this we discussed our new internshipfrom (around one hour), because Takatso had still not given us some feedback. We have a larger focus on universities instead of farmers, so we can provide a continuity in the project. Takatso asked us how we are going to do this, because according to Takatso there are no local students with knowledge of biogas (around 1 hour and 1 minute). But we also didn’t have any knowledge about biogas before we came here and we can ask the uncle of Yonis which types of students can help. (around 1 hour and 3 minutes)
Around the time of 1 hour and 5 minutes Takatso said something about two dates next week with a women from the embassy (luister terug).
At last we asked Takatso about the television interview (around 1 hour and 7 minutes). He said he spoke to a guy and a lady. At first there was only a possibility to take the interview 400 km outside of Jo’burg. But now they are arranging to get an interview in Johannesburg.