Africa breaks new ground in waste-to-fertiliser initiative

From the newsletter

Kenya has become the first African country to deploy EasyFEN™, a proprietary waste-to-fertiliser technology, signalling a step toward unlocking an untapped circular opportunity. The $3.4 million plant is expected to convert organic waste into microbial fertiliser and pave the way for expansion across more than ten countries.

• Converting organic waste into fertiliser offers environmental relief while creating a powerful circular economy opportunity, turning a persistent waste challenge into a productive resource.

• As a predominantly agricultural continent, local fertiliser production could strengthen soil fertility, improve crop yields and resilience, and promote more sustainable farming practices across Africa.

More details

• The EasyFEN™ system, developed by US-based Easy Environmental Solutions, is modular and designed to process up to 17,500 tonnes of organic waste annually, producing around 2.7 million gallons of microbial fertiliser. In a company statement, Easy Environmental Solutions noted the fertiliser can reduce water requirements by up to 20%. With two gallons per acre supplying 45–60 lbs of nitrogen and 15–20 lbs of phosphorus, a single unit could treat roughly 1.35 million acres annually.

• While the projected revenue of $19 million per unit may attract investors, the broader significance lies in demonstrating a scalable circular agriculture model capable of reducing dependency on synthetic fertilisers and promoting localized, resilient food systems.

• Africa generates millions of tonnes of organic waste each year, much of it underutilised. Converting this waste into fertiliser could help tackle soil degradation and reduce reliance on imports, shielding farmers from global supply shocks, such as those stemming from Eastern Europe and from volatility in Middle Eastern markets.

• Beyond supply chain resilience, using organic waste as fertiliser supports long-term soil health by enhancing biological activity, retaining moisture and providing essential nutrients in forms that promote sustainable yields. This directly contributes to food security, as higher and more reliable crop outputs benefit both smallholder farmers and national agricultural strategies.

• Several projects across Africa are already demonstrating these benefits. In Kenya, companies such as Ecodudu and Project Mila use insect-based systems to transform food waste into frass fertiliser, which is rich in nutrients and can be applied directly to crops. In Uganda, composting programmes in Kampala turn market and municipal organic waste into soil amendments for smallholder farms. Biochar initiatives in Morocco repurpose crop residues such as stalks and prunings to improve soil structure, moisture retention and carbon content.

• In Gambia, gasifier stoves convert agro-industrial residues into biochar, which can be used as a soil amendment to enhance fertility. These initiatives provide farmers with affordable, nutrient-rich inputs and create employment opportunities in waste collection, processing, distribution and farm application.

• By linking waste reduction to agricultural productivity, such circular value chains offer dual benefits: environmental improvement and economic opportunity. Scaling these models across the continent could fundamentally reshape Africa’s agricultural landscape, addressing the intertwined challenges of food security, climate resilience and economic sustainability.

Our take

• This initiative builds on the long-standing tradition of African communities using organic waste as manure, modernising it at scale to generate both economic and environmental value.

• Turning waste into fertiliser allows Africa to tackle waste management and food insecurity simultaneously, showing that circular models can deliver environmental, social and economic dividends.

• By converting locally available waste into valuable inputs, such initiatives can strengthen agricultural resilience and foster greater self-reliance across African farming communities.