Household Organic Waste and Sustainable Urban Agriculture: Improving Urban Household Organic Waste Management and Food Security - Tapa blanda

The increase of the population is often so fast that the delivery of basic services, such as water supply, sanitation and waste removal cannot keep up. Unemployment, growing poverty and deterioration of the environment are related problems to urban expansion with an increasing population, the amounts of waste generated are consequently growing. The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of urban agriculture in dealing with household organic waste within a peri-urban area, such as Manyatta, in Kisumu The research found out that the use of Urban Agriculture in dealing with household organic waste is still poor in Manyatta as tonnes go to waste though burning and being thrown at the backyard. Organic waste, which constituted 70% of the solid waste produced, if innovatively composed or used directly for urban agriculture, it can help solve solid waste management problem and improve urban food security especially in informal settlements. The outcome of the study should help bring to light the treasure hidden in organic waste, which has been poorly harnessed especially in the developing countries and has resulted into various environmental problems.

Kennedy Onunga, BSC: Studied Bachelor of Environmental Science with Information Technology at Maseno University. Research Assistant at Impact Research and Development Organization, Kisumu. Member and Volunteer of Kenya Red Cross Society.Participated in tree planting during the restoration of the Mau Forest, besides other conservation activities.