ClimateChic

ClimateChic

ClimateChic

Climate-smart, evidence-based, and nature-based circular economy for agroforestry restoration using soulful, free-range chicken model

Metro Manila, Philippines

PHL

Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit

We are addressing the interconnected global challenges of deforestation, organic waste mismanagement, and unsustainable food systems. Every year, the world loses over 10 million hectares of forest (FAO, 2020), largely due to agricultural expansion, which threatens biodiversity, disrupts water cycles, and accelerates climate change. At the same time, approximately 931 million tonnes of food waste are generated annually (UNEP, 2021), much of it still rich in nutrients. This waste is often sent to landfills, where it emits methane—a greenhouse gas over 80 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period. The economic value of this wasted food exceeds $1 trillion USD each year. A substantial portion of this waste is organic and suitable for repurposing into animal feed, yet it remains vastly underutilized. Notably, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can efficiently convert organic and food waste into high-protein biomass, providing a sustainable, antibiotic-free feed alternative for poultry. Despite this potential, current systems fail to integrate these solutions, resulting in continued waste, rising feed costs, and increasing pressure on ecosystems. The failure to manage organic waste effectively is a missed opportunity to address both environmental degradation and food system inefficiencies in a world facing growing climate and food security crises.

ClimateChic is a climate-smart, evidence-based, and nature-based circular economy model that regenerates degraded agroforestry systems while creating local income opportunities. It turns organic and food waste into black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), which serve as a sustainable, antibiotic-free protein source for free-range chickens. These chickens are raised under forest canopies or in agroforestry plots and produce organic manure that fertilizes native forest seedlings, accelerating reforestation and restoring soil health. The system also integrates local medicinal and forage plants, supporting both poultry health and ecosystem recovery. This closed-loop model enhances microclimates, improves water retention, and reduces the need for forest clearing by creating a short- to medium-term income stream aligned with long-term ecological restoration. ClimateChic does not require complex technology—just a simple integration of nature-based systems and low-tech innovations like BSFL composting units, rotational poultry pens, and seedling nurseries—making it highly replicable and accessible for low-resource communities worldwide. Systems, processes, and progress can be viewed in the ClimateChic digital space in real time and transparently.

ClimateChic serves vulnerable and under-resourced groups worldwide, including rural communities, women in informal jobs, youth organizations, free-range chicken farmers, forestry practitioners, and agencies involved in food security, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience. Over 2.5 billion people rely on agriculture for income (World Bank, 2022), many of whom face soil degradation, rising costs, and climate-related risks. ClimateChic offers them a regenerative, low-cost model that turns food waste into protein-rich black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) feed for chickens, whose manure then supports reforestation. Women—who comprise 43% of the global agricultural workforce (FAO, 2011)—and unemployed youth (73 million worldwide, ILO, 2023) gain dignified green jobs through roles in waste conversion, poultry care, and agroforestry. By repurposing part of the 931 million tonnes of annual food waste (UNEP, 2021), the system reduces methane emissions, lowers poultry feed costs by up to 50%, and improves food system efficiency. ClimateChic also helps reverse the loss of 10 million hectares of forest per year (FAO, 2020), integrating poultry and reforestation to restore ecosystems. It supports safe, antibiotic-free food production and aligns with multiple SDGs—making it an accessible, replicable solution for healthier people, economies, and environments.