The Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) has called for the expansion of community-based waste management and waste-to-wealth initiatives across Nasarawa State and Nigeria following the completion of its #BioWaste4Resilience Project.
The Executive Director of GIFSEP, Dr Michael Terungwa David, made the call at a Knowledge Management Workshop organised to mark the completion of the project in Nasarawa State.
David said the project had demonstrated how organic and other forms of bio-waste could be transformed into valuable products, sustainable livelihoods and environmental solutions.
He noted that the initiative supported the production of nutrient-rich compost and liquid fertiliser, while also promoting the conversion of discarded coconut shells into reusable household products.
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“Waste is not necessarily a problem; poorly managed waste is the problem, and properly managed waste can become an opportunity,” the GIFSEP Executive Director emphasised.
According to him, the project highlighted the link between effective waste management, environmental protection, livelihood creation, climate resilience and the circular economy.
David also referenced the recently presented Integrated Waste Management Policy in Nasarawa State, saying it provides a framework for improved waste collection, segregation, recycling, resource recovery and safe disposal.
He said the policy would support cleaner communities, improved public health, job creation and the growth of waste-to-wealth enterprises.
“For us at GIFSEP, this is particularly significant because it demonstrates that local action can influence wider systems and policies,” David explained.
The Executive Director expressed appreciation to the United Nations Development Programme-Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF) Small Grants Programme for supporting the project, as well as the Nasarawa State Government, particularly the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, for its partnership.
David urged stakeholders to sustain the momentum generated by the project and continue transforming environmental challenges into economic opportunities.
“The project may be ending, but the work continues. Let us continue to turn waste into wealth, challenges into opportunities, and local action into global impact,” he said.
In her remarks, the Nigerian Programme Coordinator of the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme, Mrs Ibironke Olubamise, said environmental challenges require collective action because they transcend geographical boundaries.
She stressed that environmental protection and sustainable resource management are critical to economic development and human well-being.
Olubamise said waste should not be viewed solely as a disposal problem, noting that many discarded materials can be converted into valuable resources that create jobs and improve livelihoods.
“Effective waste management can create employment, improve public health, promote cleaner communities and provide livelihood opportunities for young people, women and other groups,” she said.
She commended GIFSEP for implementing the project and encouraged the organisation to sustain its environmental advocacy and community development efforts.
Also speaking, a representative of the Waste-to-Wealth Women Cooperative Society, Mrs Maria Nkwuda, commended GIFSEP for empowering women through training, business support and skills development.
Nkwuda said the intervention had improved the productivity of cooperative members, strengthened their businesses and created new opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
The #BioWaste4Resilience Project focused on promoting sustainable waste management practices, environmental protection and economic empowerment through innovative waste-to-wealth solutions in participating communities.
