Bokashi Bran

Problem: Food waste dumped at a landfill is the third-largest contributing factor to global warming. Solution: A system to divert food waste from landfill.

Food waste treated with Bokashi Bran eliminates odours caused by decomposition and enables the safe composting of cooked food, meat products and dairy. Solution proposal: Implement the Bokashi Bran system in communities.

Scaled globally: Circular economy of food waste. Treat food waste with bokashi - no smells, no flies or vermin - no spreading of disease. Food waste composted with garden waste. Nutrients returned to soils. Healthy soil - healthy food. No chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

Food waste that gets dumped at a landfill site generates methane gas and leachates. Every ton of food waste generates 626kg CO2e at landfill whereas only 10kg CO2e when composted. Soils globally are being depleted of nutrients through intensive agriculture and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. South Africa has 14,500 households. At an average of 20kg of food waste per month per household, that is 3.5million tonnes of food waste per annum - 2million tonnes of CO2e.

We have a solution that diverts food waste from landfill while adding beneficial nutrients back into the soil for food farming, resulting in food security and job creation. 

Our solution starts with the source separation of food waste. A practice that is not common in South Africa. Bokashi Bran buckets are supplied to households to manage this waste stream.

Food waste is sprinkled with Bokashi Bran to stop it from rotting and causing unpleasant odours.

The treated food waste is then added to garden waste - another waste stream that is commonly landfilled in South Africa.

The resulting high-quality compost is then used for food farming or community food gardens.

Bokashi Bran is particularly beneficial in that cooked food, proteins and dairy can be composted safely.

South Africa has many informal settlements that have little to no basic services including waste management. Rats are a large problem in these communities as rotting food waste does not get collected or managed. The majority of these people are unemployed and living below the poverty line. The vision of Bokashi Bran is to implement the system into these communities. How do we get buy-in? A partnership with food rescue NGO's where the community can exchange a full bucket of bokashi-treated food waste for rescued food that is still perfectly good for human consumption. Bokashi-treated food waste will become a form of currency to feed the family. That food waste will then be used to make compost and grow vegetables for the community. Job creation in the form of trainers and educators, composters and gardeners.

This solution is well-aligned to the Challenge because of the unique technology of Bokashi Bran. The environmental benefits relate directly to the Challenge enabling the diversion of food waste from landfill as well as returning nutrients to the soil. Biodiversity can be restored through this method of food waste management. The target population are well-aligned to the Challenge because they are under-serviced and have little to no resources to help themselves. This initiative could change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Bokashi Bran, the company, has been operating for nine years. We have over a thousand paying customers using the Bokashi Bran system. The process of source-separation, treating with bokashi and composting has been well established and tested. With funding, this incredible technology can benefit communities in desperate need. 

Turning a bucket of treated food waste into a currency in exchange for fresh food will solve several problems at the same time. Poor waste management in impoverished communities, food security, job creation, regenerative soil management, biodiversity. 

Currently: about 1000 households (paying customers)

In one year: 3000 households (double paying customers - 1000 funded)

In five years: 24000 households (paying customers and regenerative community model of food waste and fresh food exchange)

Demand for our solution has increased year on year. To date, we have diverted over 30 000 tonnes of food waste from landfill. We engage with the Government through the Organics Recycling Industry body that we are actively involved with. We are listed in one major retailer in South Africa with plans to list with more retailers as our production capacity increases.

6 full-time staff

4 sub-contracted companies for composting

Director: Bronwyn Jones - experience in business. MBA from Cardiff University.

Team Leader: Tracy Ngwenya - experience in manufacturing bokashi for 8 years.

Support staff: Manufacturing experience, logistics of food waste.

Sub-contractors: Bokashi composting experience and knowledge.

We have a diverse team representing both South African and Zimbabwean nationals. The team is representative of both race and gender.

Our values are teamwork, efficiency and respect.

We have many poor communities that could do with help. Funding will springboard this solution reaching these communities in collaboration with existing NGO's and people in the communities.

Pilot proof site in the poor community of Diepsloot. We have developed relationships with a company working in the community, testing our product on a small scale. With funding, we can expand that reach into the community.

NOSH food rescue in South Africa - for exchange program of bokashi-treated food waste for food parcels.

BoombatDotMobi in Diepsloot - management and implementation of the system. They are based in the community and understands the challenges specific to the community.

The Bokashi Bran system directly answers the problem of global warming and carbon sequestration by promoting composting over landfilling. Regenerative agriculture and soil remediation is a direct result of applying the Bokashi Bran system.