What is the name of your organization?
Ecorich Solutions Limited
What is the name of your solution?
Waste-to-fertilizer by Ecorich
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
The Wastebot technology, an AI-powered, solar-powered and sensor-based decomposer, converts organic waste into organic fertilizer within 24 hours.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Nairobi, Kenya
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
KEN
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Devastating impacts of the reliance on chemical fertilizers on Kenya’s agricultural lands, undermining efforts to build a low-carbon, resilient, and nutritious food system.
- In Kenya, only 20% of soil is suitable for food production. The farmland soils have been degraded by over 65%; they are infertile and dying, and overuse of chemical fertilizers is responsible for the situation. Additionally, chemical fertilizers have lowered soil organic matter by 50%, disrupting microbial ecosystems. Using chemical fertilizers on the already fragile soils is a recipe for lowering crop productivity further, up to 40% and weakening food systems.
- As recently as 2020, nitrate-based fertilizers have been found to contribute to a 30% increase in soil acidification. High nitrate concentration runoff causes approximately 40% of water contamination, posing health risks to adults, young children, and livestock. Our water resources are extremely contaminated with toxins, and the continued overreliance on chemical fertilizers is detrimental. Furthermore, nitrous oxide emissions from chemical fertilizers contribute to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, causing air pollution and environmental degradation.
- Soil is crucial for food security, ecosystem health, and climate resilience. It stores more carbon than vegetation and the atmosphere combined, making its protection vital for combating climate change and sustaining food and environmental systems.
What is your solution?
- Ecorich Solutions offers a powerful climate-smart alternative to synthetic inputs: a high-quality organic fertilizer that regenerates degraded soils, improves food nutrition, and reduces carbon emissions. This organic fertilizer is produced through our innovative Wastebot technology, a decentralized, solar-powered technology that transforms organic waste into organic fertilizer within 24 hours.
- Its production process involves less energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions, leaving a lower carbon footprint.
- One of the outstanding features of our organic fertilizer is that it boosts soil carbon storage by up to 30%, mitigating climate change while enhancing long-term carbon sequestration.
- Our organic fertilizer also has high organic matter content. This improves soil structure by increasing aeration, water retention and the soil's ability to hold nutrients. It restores degraded soils, reduces erosion and enhances the biological activity of beneficial microorganisms, creating a thriving soil ecosystem by 50%.
- We have offered smallholder farmers valuable agricultural input. It is a reliable and environmentally friendly option for smallholder farmers, empowering them to enhance agricultural food systems. Farmers can produce nutritious food while also protecting our environment. We encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices to improve long-term food systems.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution directly serves the following:
(1) Smallholder farmers:
- In Kenya, there are more than 5 million smallholder farmers, who make up 80% of Kenya's agricultural labor force. In total, they produce 70% of Kenya's food. These farmers grow food crops to feed their families and communities, and they sell extra produce at the market to earn an income.
- These farmers are frequently underserved due to limited access to sustainable agricultural inputs. They consequently rely on chemical fertilizers, which have deteriorated soil health and lowered long-term productivity.
- By providing access to sustainable fertilizers, the farmers have a 36% increase in yields and farm losses have decreased by 32%. As a result, we have reduced hunger and promoted food availability for communities, accelerating an achievement towards SDG 2 (No Hunger).
(2) Employment opportunities:
- In Kenya, unemployment stands at 16.36 %. Youths and women are underserved and face limited access to decent work.
- By creating sustainable employment, we have empowered over 500 women and 300 youths in waste collection, processing and distribution. They earn a reliable income, enabling them to support their families and gain economic independence. As a result, we have reduced poverty for our communities, accelerating an achievement towards SDG 1 (No Poverty).
