Meet the 3.0 Finalists: EcoRich Solutions (Kenya)

Our mission began with a simple but urgent question: how do we transform the growing waste crisis in our cities into a resource that strengthens our farms?  

Today, our team at EcoRich Solutions works together to develop and scale technologies that convert organic waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer within 24 hours. What started as a shared curiosity has grown into a circular model designed to support farmers, reduce urban waste, and create practical, homegrown solutions for food security. 

Our journey is deeply personal. I grew up in the village, surrounded by small-scale farmers who struggled because they lacked access to affordable and efficient fertilizers. I saw how poor soils limited harvests, income, and opportunities, especially for women. These experiences shaped my understanding of the problem we face in Kenya and across the region.  

When my co-founder and I met in a church group, he shared his experiences growing up in the city. He had seen firsthand how waste was unmanaged and overwhelming, especially in underdeveloped areas. Bringing our perspectives together helped us see the whole picture. The cities were facing a food waste crisis, and farms were facing a fertilizer crisis. The solution was to connect the two. 

This led us to develop the Waste Bot, a compact system powered by solar energy that converts organic waste into organic fertilizer within a single day. Achieving this rapid conversion process has been our proudest success so far. It addresses two significant challenges in Kenya: the high cost and limited availability of quality fertilizers for farmers, as well as the growing levels of food waste in urban areas. For me, creating a solution that improves soils and helps farmers increase their yields and income is deeply meaningful. 

Our ambitions extend beyond Kenya. Across the Global South, from East to Central and West Africa, we see the need for decentralized recycling centers that can turn waste into opportunity. The UAE, with its large volumes of organic waste in the hospitality industry, is an ideal pilot location for taking our solution to the global stage. 

If we win the FoodTech Challenge, we plan to expand from our current center to multiple decentralized recycling sites in Kenya and introduce the Waste Bot to new countries. This will help us employ more women and youth, distribute more organic fertilizer, and support thousands of farmers as they improve their soils and food production. 

Our five-year dream is to see the Waste Bot used worldwide, helping countries produce their own locally made fertilizers from their own resources. We believe every community should be able to turn its organic waste into something valuable, without relying on imports or external systems. Food waste is a resource, and when we treat it as one, we can strengthen soils, reduce emissions, and support a more stable food future.  

Joyce Rugano

CEO of EcoRich Solutions