We all enjoy the refreshing taste of madafu (coconut water) or the energizing snack of sugarcane on a hot day. But have you ever stopped to think about what happens to the waste generated by madafu and sugarcane vendors across the city?
In and around Nairobi, these vendors generate large volumes of organic waste every day. Much of it is burned — producing harmful smoke — or transported to dumpsites where it rots and releases greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
While the growing volume of food-vendor waste remains a serious challenge, a nature-based solution lies within reach.
Ecomulch is an urban environmental solutions company working to transform locally generated organic waste into materials that support soil health, plant health, and resilient urban green spaces.
At Ecomulch, we see the waste generated by madafu and sugarcane vendors not as a burden, but as an opportunity — especially when it comes to one of the most common challenges in urban gardening: constant watering and weeding.
Many people recognize mulching from high school agriculture lessons, yet it remains surprisingly underused in urban settings. When applied correctly, mulch is one of the most effective ways to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and protect soil.
While mulching is widely practiced in many parts of the world, in Kenya it is often difficult to find good-quality mulch in consistent supply. As a result, soils are left exposed and plants struggle unnecessarily.
At Ecomulch, we are working to make organic mulch more accessible and to encourage the wider use of mulching as a practical soil-care practice in urban environments.
Another growing challenge in urban gardening is maintaining healthy container plants. In most cases, we default to using soil — simply because it is cheap and familiar.
Yet soil is often poorly suited to containers. It is heavy, compacts easily, drains poorly, and can be messy to handle in urban spaces. When soil compacts, plant roots struggle to breathe, and plants may fail despite regular watering.
Soilless growing media offer an effective alternative. A good soilless medium allows proper drainage, improves root aeration, and retains just the right amount of moisture for healthy growth.
Despite these benefits, many people are unfamiliar with soilless growing media, or find them difficult to access and expensive when they do encounter them.
At Ecomulch, we produce coco-based soilless growing media designed to help urban plant parents establish and sustain healthy container plants with greater ease.