Project at a glance
Project partners: AMT, TMG Research, Nairobi County Government of Nairobi, Ardhi Water, Miramar Foundation and Dan Church Aid.
This project aims to explore a circular economy model to effectively manage solid waste while also generating sustainable income streams through the rearing of black soldier flies.
The challenge
Residents of the sprawling Mukuru informal settlement grapple with dismal living conditions due to inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure and almost non-existent waste management services. The result is a proliferation of open sewage and solid waste, which poses significant public health risks, including infestation of rodents and vermin. One of the obvious consequences can be seen in the Ngong River, which flows through Viwandani and Kwa Ruben settlements, and is choked with household and other refuse.
The consequences of inadequate solid waste management become most evident during rainy seasons. Accumulated waste washes from roads and public spaces into rivers and drains, causing blockages that increase the risk of flooding. Among some of the multiple adverse effects, sewage pools form as pit latrines fill up, and raw fecal waste spills into homes, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases like malaria and cholera, which can lead to severe illness or death. High water levels disrupt movement, preventing many children from attending school. Houses built along the riparian reserve are often swept away by floods, resulting in loss of life and property. Additionally, poor solid waste management contributes to reduced aesthetics, increased air and soil pollution.
The consequences of inadequate solid waste management in Mukuru become most evident during rainy seasons.
During the Mukuru Special Planning Area (SPA) public consultations, residents identified poor waste management as a major contributor to flooding during rainy seasons. To tackle these issues, it was recognized that understanding household waste disposal challenges was crucial. In collaboration with the Mukuru SPA Environment consortium and AMT Research, a study was carried out in April 2019 across the three settlements covered by the SPA. The study aimed to quantify the volume and composition of household waste. Sixty families participated, segregating their daily waste into three categories: organic matter, recyclables (e.g., plastics and cans), and hazardous/non-recyclable waste. Each category’s daily weight was recorded and the findings are summarized in the chart below.
Classification of household waste
The solution: Black Soldier Fly farming
Black soldier fly larvae multiply by feeding on solid waste, creating valuable by-products such as a protein source for use in animal feeds, and organic fertilizer. By demonstrating the health, environmental, as well as economic benefits of safe disposal and recycling of household waste, the project further aims to build awareness on the importance of proper solid waste management.
These results underscore the importance of developing sustainable solutions for both organic and recyclable waste to establish an effective city-wide waste management system. The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming initiative aims to capitalize on rising costs of agricultural inputs, particularly protein sources such as soya beans and fish, which not only results in prohibitive prices, but the proliferation of sub-standard feeds on the market. Black soldier fly farming provides a win-win solution by providing a way to tackle piles of solid waste while creating a continuous source of protein and agricultural inputs. BSF farming entails breeding fly larvae to recycle organic waste. As the larvae reach maturity in just 10 to 14 days, the process can be repeated multiple times, which not only generates income for waste collectors and breeders, but provides farmers with a more affordable and high quality source of animal protein, as well as organic fertilizer while also addressing urban solid waste management challenges.
What the project aims to do
The project will initially establish a pilot BSF project in 10 of the 13 Mukuru segments. Groups or individuals will be selected to undertake BSF farming through an open and transparent process to build acceptance and legitimacy. A trained professional with experience in BSF farming will support the project. The selected groups will receive training and mentorship, and a waste separation and collection system at the household level will be established.
Residents will be encouraged to separate their waste, and the collected organic waste will be used for BSF farming, recyclables will be sold, and hazardous waste will be collected by the County Government. Community structures will be developed to ensure residents hold each other accountable for waste disposal.
Trained BSF producers will collect organic waste from households, while Miramar will train youth on how to care for, produce, dry, and package BSF for the market. AMT will monitor producer performance. If successful, this waste management system will be rolled out to the rest of the Mukuru SPA. This comprehensive approach can help address waste management challenges, create economic opportunities, boost social cohesion, and promote environmental sustainability in Mukuru.
