Waste management opportunities for rural communities - Composting as an effective waste management strategy for farm households and others
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This working document has been prepared to guide individuals or groups who may wish to transform organic wastes into compost for their own use or for sale. Composting can play an important role in reducing environmental threats linked with improper organic waste management in rural and peri-urban situations. Natural composting is a process that always has been a part of the global ecosystem; it is responsible for the breakdown or decomposition of organic material. Modern composting harnesses the se natural processes in such a way that organic wastes can be transformed to a useful product, namely compost. This working document describes simple, cost-effective approaches to composting. In particular, it provides a brief scientific overview of the composting process and then gives details for planning and siting a compost facility, monitoring of the performance of the composting process, and guidance on use of the compost. To conclude, a small number of case studies describe applications o f composting in rural communities in Mauritius, Rodrigues, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.