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The Civic Forum on Housing and Habitat Zambia on Sunday launched a waste-to-energy initiative at Soweto Market, aiming to cut waste volumes and promote clean energy use among traders.
The project, backed by German development agency Misereor and implemented with the Lusaka City Council, will convert organic market waste into biogas and organic fertiliser using a bio-digester system.
CFHHZ said the programme is part of a €100,000 (about K2.4 million) investment meant to address chronic garbage build-up at the crowded market while supporting new economic opportunities.
Grace Chikumo Mtonga, the forum’s Executive Director, said the initiative would improve the trading environment by reducing waste and turning it into useful products.
“The project will enable marketeers to operate in a clean and safe environment while turning waste into a valuable resource,” she said.
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Under the scheme, food waste will be fed into the bio-digester to generate biogas for cooking, with the residue processed into organic fertiliser for farmers.
Petra Stammen, a desk officer at Misereor, said community awareness was a critical component of the initiative.
“Communities should be sensitised on proper waste management, especially in food markets,” she said.
The project will initially focus on women running restaurants, equipping them with skills to benefit from improved waste-handling systems and potential income-generating ventures.
Area Councilor, Masautso Ngoma, welcomed the programme, saying it would boost sanitation and support traders.
Marketeers also expressed optimism, saying the initiative could help create a cleaner trading space and new livelihood opportunities.
Implementation is expected to begin next quarter, with monitoring mechanisms to ensure communities — particularly women traders — benefit from the waste-to-energy effort.
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