Kampala’s Owino Market—East Africa’s largest open-air market—sells everything from bananas to cassava. But hidden behind its vibrant produce stalls lies a less visible reality: tonnes of food waste piling up daily, accelerating greenhouse gas emissions and costing livelihoods.
According to Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), over 30% of food in urban markets goes unsold or rots before reaching consumers. This waste not only reflects inefficiencies in storage and distribution but also contributes significantly to methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.
However, grassroots innovations are changing this narrative. One such initiative is Yo-Waste, a Ugandan start-up using mobile technology to connect market vendors with waste collectors and composters. Through its app, food waste is redirected from landfills into composting centers or bio-digesters, turning what was once garbage into energy and organic fertilizer.
“Food waste is not just an urban nuisance—it’s a climate issue,” says Brian Gitta, co-founder of Yo-Waste. “When we turn waste into value, we create jobs, cut emissions, and feed the soil.”
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is now piloting “zero waste zones” in three major markets, where waste separation, organic bins, and public composting units have been introduced. Early results show a 40% reduction in landfill-bound waste and a measurable drop in methane levels around Owino.
Still, systemic challenges persist. Cold chain infrastructure is poor, and farmer-to-market logistics remain fragmented. Experts argue that national policies need to treat food waste reduction as a climate action priority, not just a sanitation issue.
As Uganda’s urban population rises, tackling food waste will be central to reducing emissions and ensuring food system resilience. Owino Market’s transformation may offer a blueprint for other East African cities on how to turn food loss into climate opportunity.
