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By Annonciata Byukusenge
The government has called on the private sector to capitalize on the 3,661 tonnes of organic waste generated daily across the country by transforming it into useful products, such as fertilizers.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), Rwandans produce an average of 0.44 kilograms of waste per person every day, 80 percent of which is organic, including food scraps and plant materials.
Officials at MININFRA and the Ministry of Environment, argue that biodegradable waste should be used to create solutions, rather than being a source of sanitation-related challenges.
“Rwanda has a high demand for organic fertilizers to improve soil fertility, particularly given the country’s reliance on agriculture. Composting organic waste can substitute for imported chemical fertilizers, reducing costs and environmental impact,” reads a statement from MININFRA.
William Mugabo, coordinator of the Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) at the environment ministry, warned that as satellite cities continue to expand, household waste is surging. However, he pointed out that there is an opportunity in all this since proper management of such waste could boost agricultural productivity, for example.
“We urge the private sector to join the business of transforming this waste into useful products,” he said, stressing that the private sector has a crucial role to play, both in creating a viable business model for compost waste and ensuring that cities remain clean and healthy.
“Private companies can turn what was once considered waste into valuable products, creating jobs and improving public health in the process,” he said.
Jea Damascene Sinjyeniyo, Technical Advisor for sustainable waste management and circular economy at GIZ, a German organization that is implementing composting projects in satellite cities, praised composting as a solution that can offer a sustainable method of waste disposal that benefits urban dwellers and rural farmers.
Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.
Mugabo pointed out that compost provides 100 percent value to crops in a single farming season, unlike traditional manure, which degrades slowly and is less effective.
