The issue of organic waste management is particularly pressing in cities around the world, including Nigeria, where organic waste constitutes, on average, 50 percent of municipal waste. In some cities, this figure can be as high as 80 per cent.
While there are numerous challenges to managing organic waste in Nigeria, there are also significant opportunities for resource recovery and environmental sustainability. A significant portion of this waste is often sent to landfills, leading to various environmental and health issues. However, with effective strategies, such as composting and other sustainable management initiatives, organic waste can be converted into valuable resources.
This is why the Centre for Earth Works in Nigeria is working to enhance the skills of waste pickers, transforming them into waste ambassadors who will contribute to effective organic waste management.
This initiative is part of the broader project “Mainstreaming Organic Waste Management Across 11 Countries,” which is being implemented by members of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) in various African nations. Funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the project aims to reduce methane emissions by promoting practices such as waste source separation and diverting organic materials from landfills.
In this article, the fourth instalment of our ongoing series showcasing the impactful work of our members under this initiative, we highlight a conversation with Benson Dotun, the Executive Director of the Centre for Earth Works. He shares his insights and experiences as Nigeria’s partner in the “Mainstreaming Organic Waste Management Across 11 Countries” project.
1. Can you provide an overview of your organisation and its mission, highlighting your key activities and focus areas?
Centre for Earth Works (CFEW) is a research-driven, youth-led non-governmental organisation passionate about securing the Earth and committed to promoting environmental sustainability and community empowerment. We aim to foster a sustainable future by raising awareness, encouraging green practices, and empowering communities to take proactive steps toward environmental stewardship.
CFEW’s wide range of initiatives includes research, waste management, policy advocacy and community empowerment. Our project on community waste management has transformed waste into valuable resources, creating opportunities while addressing the environmental impact of waste.
Additionally, CFEW is leading the Green School Initiative, which focuses on educating and empowering students to adopt sustainable practices. By integrating environmental education into schools, the initiative equips young minds with the knowledge and skills to champion sustainability in their communities.
Moreover, CFEW’s work promoting green skills like plastic knitting and composting has empowered individuals to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. CFEW has successfully mobilised support for its projects through partnerships with other organisations and stakeholders. We continue to strive to innovate and expand our impact. CFEW’s efforts are not only transforming local communities but also setting a model for sustainable practices that can be replicated across the country and beyond.
2. How has membership with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) influenced your organisation’s work, and what benefits have you derived from this partnership?
Being a member of GAIA has been transformative for us at CFEW. It has expanded our access to global knowledge, deepened our capacity, and connected us to a strong network of like-minded people through webinars, workshops and projects.
The collaboration and solidarity within GAIA and even BFFP show that we are not alone in this work of development and change.
Through the benefit of strategic training, resource sharing, and global visibility from GAIA, CFEW has garnered capacity and led many initiatives that have recorded high successes and impacts among different groups and across communities.
3. What are your thoughts on the waste crisis that many countries in the region are facing?
The waste crisis in Nigeria and many African countries is both a threat and a wake-up call.
From poor infrastructure to a lack of political will in waste management, the system has long neglected the informal actors and the value of waste or the need for environmental stewardship.
This has affected communities in the country who do not have the knowledge or the facilities to guard themselves from the impact when it hits.
CFEW sees opportunity especially in scaling up community-based solutions centred on people, not profit alone, since people are the main drivers of the problem and the solution.
4. Your organisation is part of the Mainstreaming Organic Waste Management Across 11 Countries CCAC project in Africa. What has attracted your organisation to this project, and what are your hopes for organic waste management work in your country?
We were drawn to this project because organic waste makes up a huge portion of municipal waste in many communities in Nigeria and contributes a very significant amount to the impact of climate change through methane emissions. Yet, it’s rarely prioritised.
The CCAC project in Africa and Nigeria is a timely intervention. It has helped promote sustainable practices like composting, reusing, and repurposing organic waste to reduce methane emissions and engage community members, especially in low-income communities, marginalised groups, women, and youth.
Through the involvement of these groups, organic waste will be seen as a viable resource for use and help cut down the extent of emissions caused by the indiscriminate disposal of organic waste in dumpsites and landfills.
5. Under the CCAC project, what are the primary campaigns or initiatives your organisation is currently implementing to address organic waste management challenges? [i.e. Training on source separation and organics management, outreach to waste picker groups, policy work, local & national government engagement, education campaigns].
Under the CCAC project, our main activities focused on training informal waste pickers in the community on source separation and composting. We trained 50 waste pickers from the Hwolshe community in Jos Plateau State, teaching them how to compost organic waste and properly separate their waste.
These waste pickers, now referred to as “waste ambassadors,” have formed a cooperative since we implemented awareness programs in the community, markets, and schools. These programs aimed to educate the public on effective waste sorting and composting practices.
Additionally, we engaged in policy advocacy to encourage government recognition of waste pickers and promote waste management using the Zero Waste Approach. This advocacy involved sharing vital information and knowledge at different levels in Plateau State, from local leaders to various government agencies. These efforts represent a significant step toward fostering positive and lasting change in waste management practices.
6. What has been a personal milestone or most memorable moment for your organisation working on this project?
A standout moment for us was the establishment of CFEW’s collection facility for various types of waste, particularly organic waste, along with a centre for training and practical skills acquisition in waste management.
During a follow-up visit, the women waste pickers in the Hwolshe community, who initially had minimal knowledge about composting, confidently presented the compost they created from their household waste. They also showcased their homemade gardens nourished by the compost.
Another remarkable action was the waste pickers conducting community outreach and using their voices to educate people about better waste management practices. This experience served as a powerful reminder of the purpose behind our work: when people are equipped with knowledge, meaningful change begins.
7. What are the most pressing issues related to organic waste management in your country, and how do these challenges continue to influence how your organisation works on the issues?
Part of the many challenges experienced in the Jos metropolis and Nigeria are a lack of awareness, poor waste separation practices, and limited policy enforcement due to inconsistent waste management systems in the state.
There is now a need more than ever to raise the bar in awareness creation on the opportunities around organic waste, with emphasis on its high impact on agriculture, income levels, and health, besides its significant contribution to the general climate change crisis based on the amount of methane gas emission.
These problems have forced us to create more locally driven methods and community-focused educational programs nationwide.
8. Looking ahead to the next few years, what type of needs or support do you anticipate continuing advocacy on organic waste management in your country?
We know that advocacy is only stronger with a support system behind it. We are looking to continue and deepen our partnership with GAIA and CCAC. What we need the most are capacity-building opportunities and platforms to amplify the voices of grassroots actors who are doing the work but often remain unheard.
We also hope to receive policy guidance to influence systemic change at the local and national levels. With this, our advocacy will not just continue, but it will grow stronger and have more impact.
9. How does your organisation’s work on waste management intersect with social justice concerns, and how do you address these intersections in your advocacy and programming?
Our waste management work is rooted in justice, especially for informal workers, women, and underserved communities. We advocate for fair treatment and due recognition of unnoticed groups or individuals. We ensure our projects include marginalised voices, we push for climate solutions that do not leave anyone behind, as part of our core values is inclusiveness.
CFEW works in continued partnership with GAIA and upholds what it stands for and its guidelines on environmental and social justice in all of CFEW’s interventions.
10. Are there any quotes, mottos, or beliefs that the organisation tries to adopt in all its work?
At the Centre for Earth Works, we believe “simple ideas backed by constructive action can change the world.”
ENDS.
