Country: Ethiopia
Lead organisation: Bio and Emerging Technology Institute, Ethiopia
The project focused on the conversion of sludge from waste-water treatment to nano-fertilizers, through zeolite formation and a composite formed together with the nitrogen and phosphorous source which are also agro-waste. Nano-fertilisers release nutrients gradually and continuously for more than 30 days, which can help increase nutrient use efficiency without negative side effects.
The project activities sought to reduce the environmental waste, reduce heavy metals and organic dyes from industrial wastewater, enhance nutrient use efficiency and improve crop production in agriculture. The team worked with communities on how to use the fertiliser to improve their soil fertility, increase crop productivity, reduce environmental degradation, and decrease the cost and consumption of fertilisers.
Key progress highlights:
- Supported 100 people through their project.
- Mobilised an investment of $ 25,000.
- Achieved an average yield increase of 30% by using nano-fertilizers, with specific cases showing increases up to 40%, compared to baseline.
- Preliminary data indicates a 25% increase in average household income from maize sales, attributed to higher yields and market access initiatives.
- Conducted 6 workshops on the application of nano-fertilizers and sustainable farming practices along with four sessions to gather insights from researchers, facilitating adaptive management of project strategies.
- The project supported a PhD and an MSc student, with their thesis topics aligned with the project.