10th Annual Circular Economy Conference - Breakout Session (Closing the Loop - Organic Waste Stream)

Closing the Loop: Circular Opportunities in Organic Material Streams

The session, "Closing the Loop: Circular Opportunities in Organic Waste Streams," convened a panel of leading innovators and experts to discuss the transformation of organic waste into a powerful catalyst for Kenya’s circular bioeconomy.

The discussion challenged the traditional view of organic matter as "waste," highlighting its potential to be converted into clean energy, regenerative fertilizers, and sustainable materials. While significant technological and entrepreneurial progress is being made, the panel identified critical barriers related to policy awareness, market adoption, and the high cost of scaling trials for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The session underscored that organic waste represents one of Kenya’s most powerful, yet underutilized, catalysts for a thriving circular bioeconomy. The successful scaling of these innovations requires a dual approach: continued technological and entrepreneurial drive, coupled with decisive policy action.

A shift in mindset—seeing neglected land and organic matter as opportunities rather than burdens—is essential to unlock the economic, environmental, and social benefits of a truly circular system. The panel collectively called for stronger policy support, particularly in reducing the financial burden of large-scale trials for SMEs, and increased community and consumer sensitization to drive widespread adoption.