Challenges

In many regions across East Africa, communities face a combination of interlinked challenges including food waste, limited market access for smallholder farmers, declining soil fertility, and high rates of vector-borne diseases such as malaria. Small-scale farmers, particularly women, struggle to access affordable agricultural inputs, fair markets, and relevant information on demand and pricing, leading to post-harvest losses and food insecurity. Additionally, large volumes of perishable food from urban centers often go to waste due to poor redistribution systems. These issues are compounded by the effects of climate change, exacerbating poverty and inequality. To achieve the SDGs—particularly Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Gender Equality, Climate Action, and Sustainable Production and Consumption—there is a critical need for integrated approaches that connect rural and urban food systems, reduce waste, enhance livelihoods, and improve access to health and agricultural resources for marginalized populations.

Toward a Solution

The Ecobed Biotech initiative was born out of an urgent need to address the interconnected challenges of food waste, public health, and agricultural inefficiencies in East Africa. Anchored in SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 5 (Gender Equality), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action), the initiative focuses on transforming food system inefficiencies into sustainable development opportunities. Ecobed’s mission is to create circular solutions that empower smallholder farmers, reduce food waste, enhance market access, and combat health burdens such as malaria.

To achieve this, Ecobed employs a circular economy methodology. We upcycle food waste and spoiled milk into useful products like mosquito-repellent skincare lotions, organic fertilizers (EcoBig Harvest), and high-protein animal feeds (EcoFeeds) using black soldier fly biotechnology.

Furthermore, we have developed a mobile platform, the Nutrigrab App, which connects farmers to real-time market data, affordable inputs (seeds, fertilizers, tools), and platforms to sell or redistribute surplus or near-expiry foods from supermarkets and restaurants. The app not only supports pricing transparency and food security but also reduces urban food waste.

This inclusive approach is powered by a multi-stakeholder model involving private sector partners, youth and women cooperatives, research institutions, and government bodies. For example, our partnership with local supermarkets enables the safe redistribution of food to rural and refugee communities. Additionally, the program provides training to women farmers in waste valorization and digital literacy, increasing both their incomes and resilience.

Ecobed’s model has demonstrated successful transferability through knowledge exchanges and South-South collaboration. With support from UNCTAD and other regional platforms, we have presented our model at international forums like the World Investment Summit, creating dialogue with counterparts from South Asia and West Africa interested in replicating the model to tackle similar issues in their contexts. Our engagement through platforms such as the African Union Youth Reference Committee and IOM East Africa has promoted advocacy for policy support on climate-smart agriculture and youth-led innovation, further reinforcing our model’s adaptability.

The outcomes have been significant. We have directly impacted over 5,000 households, redistributed more than 10,000 kg of perishable food, and supported 2,000+ farmers (70% women) to access affordable organic inputs. Our mosquito-repellent lotion has reached malaria-endemic communities, contributing to improved health outcomes. Through the Nutrigrab App, over 3,000 farmers access market and weather data regularly, helping them make informed production and pricing decisions.

Our innovation lies in the convergence of biotech, digital tools, and circular economy principles to create a model that is not only eco-conscious but economically inclusive. By turning waste into value and data into power, Ecobed strengthens the region\’s competitive edge in climate-smart agriculture and green entrepreneurship.

Sustainability is built into our core. The initiative has attracted regional interest and funding, facilitated local production facilities, and fostered public-private partnerships that ensure continuity beyond donor cycles. We\’ve initiated dialogues on waste management policies and have been referenced in discussions on regional food systems strategies.

Ecobed is replicable across low-resource settings, particularly where food waste, climate vulnerability, and limited market infrastructure co-exist. With access to basic mobile connectivity, waste collection systems, and youth cooperatives, the model can be tailored to fit various socio-economic contexts. For scalability, capacity building and stakeholder engagement are crucial, as is access to enabling policies that support circular economies.

Key lessons include the value of youth-led innovation in driving systemic change, the necessity of local ownership and co-design for sustainability, and the power of technology in connecting broken value chains. Ecobed illustrates how holistic, locally-driven solutions can tackle multiple development challenges simultaneously and at scale.

Nutrigrab App is available on playstore.