Tanzanians advised to turn household waste into fertilizer, animal feed

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIANS can benefit from organic household waste if they appropriately processed into fertilizers or animal feed.

Environmentalists, in today’s meeting in Dar es Salaam, said about 70 percent of household waste consists of organic waste, which can be converted into fertilizer or animal feed.

In light of this, various stakeholders convened in Dar es Salaam to discuss ways of transforming the waste management challenge into socio-economic opportunities.

Speaking during the Waste Recovery Platform meeting, Thomas Chali, an Environmental Officer from the Vice President’s Office, emphasized the urgent need for systemic and mindset changes in how society views waste.

“In many developing countries, waste has become a major challenge. However, with the right approach, this waste can be used to produce fertilizer and animal feed. We need to shift our thinking and perspectives so that we view waste as a resource rather than a nuisance,” Chali stated.

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He added that the government will continue creating a friendly environment to attract more investors in the waste management sector, in collaboration with local government authorities to allocate land and opportunities for investment.

For his part, the Dutch Ambassador to Tanzania, Wiebe De Boer, highlighted the importance of the meeting, noting that it aims to showcase waste as a valuable resource, particularly for future generations.

Mathew Andrew, Managing Director of Kajenjere Trading Company Ltd, said the meeting would help raise public awareness about the economic value of waste and how it can be transformed into a source of income.

Meanwhile, Grit Mwimanzi, Environmental Ambassador from the Vice President’s Office, emphasized that waste collection significantly contributes to environmental cleanliness and presents many economic opportunities.