Ukulima Tech
The Pitch
Cities 4Green Hubs addressed Nairobi’s organic waste and food insecurity challenges by converting waste into biofertilizer, and underused urban land into productive gardens. By creating a circular food system, the initiative reduced emissions, restored soil health and expanded access to fresh, nutritious food for low-income and underserved communities.
The Problem
Nairobi generates approximately 2,000 tons of organic waste daily; much of it landfilled, openly burned or left to clog drainage systems in informal settlements. This contributes to severe air pollution and urban flooding, while food insecurity grows and urban development consumes the city’s remaining vegetated land.
The Process
- Established decentralized waste collection and processing systems in partnership with households, market vendors, food processors and community organizations
- Organized door-to-door organic waste collection and source segregation to divert organic waste from landfills and illegal dumping sites
- Installed decentralized organic waste converters in informal markets, food businesses and community collection hubs
- Converted organic waste into “EcoGrow,” a nutrient-rich biofertilizer that supports sustainable agriculture and restores soil health using microbial and thermophilic processing technologies
- Repurposed underutilized urban spaces — including schoolyards, household compounds and vacant lots — into climate-resilient urban gardens using biofertilizer to improve access to fresh, nutritious food
- Built partnerships with local governments, agro dealers, research institutions and private organizations to strengthen circular food systems and expand biofertilizer distribution
- Trained and employed youth and women as waste collectors, fertilizer production operators and community educators, creating green jobs while strengthening local leadership
- Conducted public-awareness campaigns and community training to encourage household waste segregation, urban farming and sustainable consumption practices
- Expanded the initiative through partnerships that integrated plastic recycling, digital climate-advisory services and supply chain innovations to maximize resource recovery
The Impact
- Diverted approximately 20 tons of organic waste from landfills each day
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 4,000 tons annually through organic waste recycling, carbon sequestration and regenerative agricultural practices
- Established 1,400 household gardens and 10 school-based urban gardens, expanding access to nutritious food while increasing urban green spaces and climate resilience
- Supported more than 2,500 smallholder farmers in adopting agroecological farming practices, increasing agricultural productivity by up to 30% while improving household incomes
- Created green employment opportunities for 80 young people and women through waste collection, biofertilizer production and circular economy enterprises
- Connected 100 market vendors to structured waste segregation systems and formal organic waste supply partnerships, improving waste collection efficiency and reducing illegal dumping
- Built a network of 50 agro dealers to distribute EcoGrow biofertilizer, expanding access to sustainable inputs and strengthening local markets
