AgroPages-Ghana: Techiman to Benefit From U.S. $ 42,000 Waste Management Compost Plant.-Agricultural news

Abrono Organic Farming Project (ABOFAP) a non-government organisation based in Techiman is constructing a Decentralised Composting of Organic Fraction of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region at the cost of US$42,000.

The project is undertaken in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grant and Rayleco Enviro Engineering Private Limited (REEPL) of India.

The major component that the project seeks to implement for the Decentralized Composting Organic Fraction of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) project is the establishment of a Waste Composting Plant in Techiman. The one year pilot project if successful will be handed over to the Techiman Municipal Assembly and the Kenten community in Techiman and replicated to other areas across the country.

Techiman, being the hub of business activities is battling with waste management challenges, due to its increasing population. Also, rapid urbanisation over the past decades has resulted in high population concentration, not only in Techiman but in major Ghanaian cities, thereby increasing pressure on urban cost and services. Thus, the demand for environmental services such as water and waste disposal has increased tremendously.

Nana Kwaw Adams, the Executive Director of ABOFAP in his welcome address at a stakeholders meeting in Techiman, said the situation in Techiman requires proper management to deal with the abundant waste produced. He observed that one of the ways to efficiently deal with the wastes was to convert the biodegradable component of the wastes into bio-fertilizer thus saving the difficulty of securing landfills for waste disposal. Touching on the objectives of the project, Nana Adams said the project is to demonstrate the viability of composting and sustainable Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management. Specifically, the project seeks to increase the knowledge about solid waste management and organic farming among farmers and raise local awareness on the value and opportunities of composting through education in schools and public outreach. It also seeks to set up a waste composting plant to convert wastes into good quality compost for sustainable land management.

The expected outputs of the project consist of a composting facility for processing waste into compost for agricultural field and vegetable production and providing training to different stakeholders established in Techiman. Also, it is expected that a community waste management and compost production enterprise will be established to provide training in the production and monitoring of compost facilities. The project is further expected to create employment, income generation activities and reduce poverty through segregation of waste and sale of recycled materials from mixed MSW and marketability of bio-fertilizer to farmers.

Mr Abdul-Karim Issifu Seidu, Techiman Municipal Environmental Officer, said about 300 tonnes of waste was generated daily in Techiman and only half was collected. The officer expressed optimism that waste generation would reduce if the project took place.

The Kenten community in Techiman which is currently selected for the pilot project would benefit from 1000 litter bins. A total of 500 houses will be selected with each house receiving two litter bins for occupants to sort out organic and non-organic wastes.

Nana Adams noted that the Ghanaian experience showed that within the existing socio-economic context, manual systems were appropriate and the challenge therefore was to develop and promote disposal systems that required a minimum level of mechanical equipment. "This project demonstrates the effective management of Municipal Solid Waste and explores the usefulness of organic manure to promote environmentally sound practices for future environmental quality and human welfare", he emphasized.

He said currently, community stakeholders meeting and a durbar had been held to sensitise the people ahead of the project implementation. A local committee made up of chiefs, women's groups, Assembly members, Environmental Department and ABOFAP has also been set up to ensure successful implementation of the project.

Mr Amoako Adams, a Deputy Co-ordinating Director for Techiman Municipal Assembly, commended Nana Adams and his NGO for his foresight in bringing the project to Techiman. He gave assurance that the Assembly would do everything possible to ensure that the project is successful.

Nana Adu Kwabena, Kenten Gyasehene who represented the Chiefs of Kenten pledged the chiefs' preparedness to support the project. He said the chiefs and the people are ready to provide communal labour in support of the project, including houses registration for the distribution of the 1000 litter bins to the 500 houses. The chiefs have so far demonstrated their committed to support the project by providing free land to build the Plant for the Project.