Terra Nova Waste to Farming
Using urban solid waste to promote organic farming
Terra Nova Waste to Farming receives urban waste from the municipality, which is then sorted and the organic matter is used to produce compost, a natural fertiliser. The compost is sold to small local farms, city households and the municipality to be used for farming and gardening.
The natural fertiliser provided by the initiative enables significantly improved crop yields that consequently generate more revenues for local farmers. Terra Nova supports social rehabilitation by mainly employing underprivileged people.
The enterprise aims to reduce urban solid waste of Beira by 50% - 60% within four years, and creates significant environmental benefits by curtailing the use of chemical fertilisers in local farming.
Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Terra Nova Waste to Organic Farming provides employment to the underprivileged, improves soil fertility and supports food security, and benefits around 1,000 smallholder farmers and the city of Beira.
- Creating job opportunities for the urban poor, expecting to employ 100 underprivileged people by 2020.
- Increasing local farmer’s revenues, predicted to grow 20% to 50% by 2018.
- Improving the nutritional intake of the population of Beira in five years.
- Reducing urban solid waste by 50% - 60% within four years by recycling 10,000 tons of organic waste per year.
- Improving soil fertility of 40 peri-urban hectares per year, and reducing chemical inputs into farming in Beira and surroundings within five years.
- Strengthening the local economy by generating employment and increasing production rates in farms in the region.
Partners
Terra Nova Waste to Farming produces a natural compost fertiliser from urban organic waste, employing underprivileged local people in its production. In a region with insufficient soil fertility, the initiative closes the cycle between waste and agricultural inputs to enhance productivity and food security, simultaneously generating income for dozens of workers.
Terra Nova Waste to Farming Farming is a private limited company that develops a natural fertiliser from organic urban waste.
CMB – Municipality of Beira offers land and organic waste materials, and exempts Terra Nova from taxes.
FUSP – Freesian Urban Sanitation Program funds the Terra Nova pilot project and shares expertise on latrine composting.
