Zero Waste Cities in Africa

Chanzi

Zero Waste Cities in Africa

Chanzi Group offers a Scalable, applicable and profitable solution to Africa's urban waste crisis.

Arusha, Tanzania

MUS

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Our business can solve Africa’s urban waste problem. Globally, 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated annually. The majority of this is not recycled, negatively impacting the environment, society and avenues for profit-making. 36.6% of this waste will end up in landfills, a further 33% will end up in open dumps. Out of all this waste, only 13.5% of it is recycled. The situation across Africa is worse, with less than 4% recycled. With waste volumes on our continent expected to triple by 2050, the problem is quickly spiraling out of control and without intervention, the next generation will be drowning in their own waste.

Chanzi Group offers a complete, scalable and profitable municipal waste management solution for African cities. Valorising waste is especially important in emerging markets who are about to embark on rapid economic growth which is inevitably coupled with increased waste production per capita. We need to establish sustainable waste management infrastructure before that ‘take-off’ rather than after. Our truly circular and holistic solution has 3 steps. Our Waste Management business, Okota diverts waste from landfill and puts it through a waste sorting facility (MRF). Okota ensures our insect protein company, Chanzi is supplied with a consistent stream of organic food waste (20-25% of total) which is converted into protein for animal feed and organic fertiliser. The inorganic waste streams (35% of total) comprising glass, plastic, metal, cardboard, are further sorted and sold as recycled input to industry We are then left with organic non-food waste comprised of leaves, twigs, branches, grasses, etc (40%). This goes to the 3rd branch of the business where it is converted into Biochar and used in fields to increase crop yields and sequester carbon.

There are countless environmental, social and economic benefits from our operation: Chanzi Insect Farms sell 2 products. Insect protein is a better quality, cheaper and more sustainable alternative to environmentally ruinous protein sources like Soya and Fish meal. BSF can reduce the protein cost of animal feed by 37% increasing the profitability of farming. We also sell BSF Frass biofertiliser. The production, transportation, use and after effects of synthetic fertiliser make it the most carbon intensive aspect of arable farming. Chanzi’s organic frass fertilizer provides a locally produced, sustainable alternative for farmers. The amount produced by single Chanzi facility results in almost 5000 hectares of farm land under sustainable management. One Chanzi facility producing 1MT/day dried insect protein and 4MT/day insect frass fertilizer translates to 5636 arable farmers and 2411 livestock farmers benefitting. Chanzi group already employ 150 staff, 85 of whom are former waste pickers who were previously marginalized women scavenging in open dumps. By the end of 2025, this number will have exceeded 400. Investing $1m in a Chanzi & Okota facility means a city of 300,000 people have access to genuine, sustainable and indefinite waste management.