Urban bio-innovation for waste valorization

Overview

To support food system transformation in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, FAO, in collaboration with the Autonomous District of Abidjan and BIOANI, is transforming urban bio waste into valuable resources through a peculiar bio-innovation project. By harnessing the natural properties of an insect, the black soldier fly (BSF), the “BioDAF project – Circular bioeconomy in Abidjan” produces animal feed and organic fertilizer, contributing to food security and sustainable urban development. Rooted in the strong collaboration between the FAO Programme Priority Area on Bioeconomy and the flagship Green Cities Initiative, this project demonstrates strong potential for replication and scaling in other cities and regions.

This webinar, co-organized by the FAO Green Cities Initiative (GCI) and the FAO Bioeconomy PPA BE2, will highlight the lessons learned from Abidjan and similar experiences on bio-waste valorization in the city of Garoua (capital of the North Region of Cameroon), as well as another innovative start-up from Indonesia working on valorizing bio-waste through vermicompost.  The webinar will focus on the challenges, opportunities, and enablers for implementing such urban solutions. The objective is to provide the audience with the basic knowledge on how to implement this type of innovation and enhance the uptake at the urban, but also rural level.

Objectives

• Provide an overview of FAO’s work in advancing bioeconomy, and in implementing its flagship Green Cities Initiative (GCI)
• Showcase innovative bioeconomy solutions implemented by FAO and partners that convert bio-waste into valuable resources, focusing on the practical insights and lessons learned from different projects
• Provide participants with practical insights and technical guidance related to bio-waste valorization practices and innovations that enhance the sustainability of urban and rural agrifood systems across environmental, social, and economic dimensions to apply these models effectively in their own work

Speakers

• Arthur de Dinechin, BioAni, Côte d’Ivoire
• Aliou Hayatou, the City of Garoua, Cameroon
• Zulfikar Dabby Anwar, EcoLiving Community, Indonesia
• Simone Borelli, FAO Green Cities Initiative, Italy
• Marilique Nijmeijer, FAO Bioeconomy Team, Netherlands
• Isabel Albinelli, FAO Bioeconomy Team, Italy