A government agency in Malaysia has launched a composting initiative for local farmers that helps them generate income, according to Business Today.
Bioeconomy Corporation is partnering with two Malaysian communities in Kebun Agro Harmoni and Kebun Agro Desa Rejang with an incredible composting technology known as MunchBot. This tech gives community members the ability to turn food waste into compost in just 24 hours. Bioeconomy is also giving them a yearlong training with MunchBot.
"For every 450 kg of food waste, participants can produce up to 90 kg of compost," Nora Mohamed, senior vice president of industry support at Bioeconomy Corporation, said, according to Business Today.
While community members can use this high-quality compost in their own community, which has a large farming economy, Mohamed said they can also sell it. By selling their compost, community members can earn up to 450 Malaysian ringgit a month, the equivalent of $105 USD.
Across the globe, we waste approximately 1 billion meals a day, according to a report from the United Nations Environment Programme. That is approximately 2.5 billion tons of food annually. Food production accounts for 26% of carbon pollution, which leads to rising global temperatures. Any food or food scraps thrown away can end up in landfills, which also contribute to planet-warming methane emissions as well as water pollution.
Composting is a great way to reduce waste, water pollution, and rising temperatures. It can also improve plant growth and water retention in your garden. Composting can even help you save money by reducing fertilizer and pesticide use due to the high-quality soil it helps produce. For the community members in Kebun Agro Harmoni and Kebun Agro Desa Rejang, they could be earning over $1,200 USD each year by composting.
According to Business Today, the MunchBot program in Malaysia will foster "science-based, community-led entrepreneurship," as well as encourage "Malaysians to adopt manual composting at home and integrate sustainability into daily life."
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