Circular bioeconomy in Abidjan: from food waste to the fork

Abstract

The Abidjan metropolitan area has over 6 million inhabitants and its urban population is growing by more than +3% every year. Access to employment, waste management and the sustainability of its food system are some of the many challenges associated with this very strong growth. As part of its circular economy strategy, the Autonomous District of Abidjan intends to implement the FAO's Green Cities Initiative within its territory, and has therefore requested technical assistance from the FAO. The "Circular Bioeconomy in Abidjan: from food waste to fork" (BioDAF) project is a concrete response to these challenges. It involves setting up a Farm School for the production and rearing of Black Soldier Fly larvae in Abidjan. In addition to producing agricultural inputs (dried larvae and digestate) to meet the needs of urban and peri-urban agriculture, the project aims to train around twenty people in Black Soldier Fly larvae rearing, who will in turn be able to develop grow-out units in their neighborhoods, based on the collection of bio-waste from Abidjan's markets. At the end of the project, successive cohorts will be able to come to the School Farm for training, advice and services that will enable this activity to be scaled up throughout the city, thereby contributing to the clean-up of the city through the valorization of bio-waste as part of a profitable activity useful to urban and peri-urban agriculture.