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Please be aware that the content herein has not been peer reviewed. It consists of personal reflections, insights, and learnings of the contributor(s). It may not be exhaustive, nor does it aim to be authoritative knowledge.
Title
Please provide a name for your action learning plan.
The Eco-Collective
Challenge statement
Challenge type: If you are working on multiple challenges, please indicate if this is your "big bet" or "exploratory" challenge.
Please note: we ask you to only submit a maximum of 3 challenges - 1x Big Bet, 2x Exploratory. Each challenge must be submitted individually.
EXPLORATORY
Challenge statement: What is your challenge? (Please answer in specific terms: "Our challenge is that...”.)
Our challenge is that the community-based recycling cooperatives in Zanzibar lack adequate training, equipment, financial literacy, and business acumen, particularly in plastic recycling. This hinders their capacity to manage waste effectively and operate sustainable enterprises. Additionally, there is a general lack of knowledge and misconceptions surrounding cooperatives in Zanzibar, leading to inefficiencies and underperformance. Addressing these challenges is crucial for improving waste management practices and enhancing the livelihoods of cooperative members.
Background: What is the history of your challenge? What is causing or driving it? Who is involved? How does the current situation look like? What undesired effects does it produce?
The community-based recycling cooperatives in Zanzibar have emerged in response to escalating waste management challenges, particularly due to rapid urbanization and a booming tourism industry. Historically, Zanzibar has grappled with inadequate formal waste management systems, especially in informal settlements, leading to environmental degradation and health hazards. In an effort to address these issues, grassroots initiatives have formed cooperatives to manage waste more effectively and create sustainable livelihoods.academia.edu+1ijcrar.com+1
However, these cooperatives face significant obstacles that impede their effectiveness. A critical challenge is the lack of formal systems for solid waste management, which is more pronounced in informal settlements. Additionally, there is a scarcity of dedicated areas for recycling material drop-off, and the absence of a governmental garbage removal system exacerbates the situation. Furthermore, the cooperative movement in Zanzibar has experienced periods of decline, particularly after the Cooperative Union of Tanzania underwent reforms in 1991, leading to weakened organizational and support structures. ijcrar.com+1academia.edu+1zanzibarinsiderbuzz.wordpress.comsemanticscholar.org
The current situation is characterized by inefficient waste collection, improper disposal methods, and limited recycling activities. This inefficiency contributes to environmental pollution, posing health risks to the community and diminishing the aesthetic appeal of the islands, which can adversely affect tourism—a vital component of Zanzibar's economy. Moreover, the lack of financial literacy and business knowledge among cooperative members hinders the development of sustainable waste management enterprises, limiting income-generating opportunities and economic growth within these communities.
Addressing these challenges necessitates a comprehensive approach that includes capacity-building initiatives, infrastructure development, and policy support to empower these cooperatives. Enhancing their operational efficiency and sustainability is crucial for improving waste management practices and fostering socio-economic development in Zanzibar.
Quantitative evidence: What (official) data sources do you have on this challenge that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge? You can add text, a link, or a picture.
Zanzibar has implemented several initiatives to enhance solid waste management and promote sustainable development. In 2019, the Zanzibar Urban Municipal Council (ZUMC), in collaboration with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), introduced the Urban Municipal Council Solid Waste Management Regulations. These regulations, the first of their kind in East Africa, are based on the 'Polluter Pays Principle' and aim to improve waste management practices across the island. Building on decentralized waste management pilot projects, such as the successful implementation in Shaurimoyo, these regulations emphasize waste segregation at the source and community involvement. Furthering its commitment to sustainable development, Zanzibar launched the Zanzibar Development Plan (ZADEP) 2021–2026, focusing on the Blue Economy for inclusive growth. This plan includes objectives to implement a National Waste Management Plan and establish dedicated waste disposal areas. These efforts align with Tanzania's broader strategies, as outlined in the Third National Development Plan 2021/22–2025/26, which emphasizes sustainable waste management and environmental conservation. Collectively, these initiatives reflect Zanzibar's proactive approach to addressing waste management challenges and promoting environmental sustainability.
Qualitative evidence: What weak signals have you recently spotted that characterizes its urgency? Please provide qualitative information that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge. You can add text, a link, or a picture.
Recent developments in Zanzibar's waste management landscape underscore the urgency of addressing systemic inefficiencies. The island's ambition to become the world's first Zero Waste archipelago, marked by the launch of a Zero Waste implementation in Unguja on March 4th, 2024, highlights a critical need for sustainable waste management solutions. However, the absence of dedicated recycling drop-off points and a governmental garbage removal system has led to widespread littering across villages, beaches, and roadsides, posing serious health concerns. Grassroots initiatives, such as the crowdmapping of informal urban infrastructure, aim to improve waste management, reflecting a growing community recognition of the problem's severity.
Sources
Value proposition: What added value or unique value proposition is your Accelerator Lab bringing to solving this challenge? Why is it your Lab that needs to work on this challenge and not other actors within UNDP, other stakeholders in the country respectively? Why is it worth investing resources to this challenge?
The UNDP Accelerator Lab brings a unique value proposition to Zanzibar's waste management challenges by leveraging innovative methodologies and fostering cross-sector collaborations. Our Lab's approach includes crowdmapping informal urban infrastructures to design circular economy solutions, engaging local NGOs, student volunteers, and community members. This strategy not only addresses data gaps but also empowers communities to participate actively in sustainable waste management. By focusing on exploration and systems thinking, the Accelerator Lab identifies emerging, under-the-radar solutions, providing UNDP with insights to adjust policies and practices effectively. Investing resources in this challenge is crucial, as it aligns with global sustainability goals and has the potential to transform waste management practices, improve livelihoods, and promote environmental conservation in Zanzibar
Short “tweet” summary: We would like to tweet what you are working on, can you summarize your challenge in a maximum of 280 characters?
The UNDP Accelerator Lab in Zanzibar is tackling waste management challenges by promoting circular economy solutions, empowering youth entrepreneurs, and fostering community engagement to transform waste into valuable resources, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability and local livelihoods.
Partners
Who are your top 5 partners for this challenge? Please submit from MOST to LEAST important and state Name, Sector and a brief description of the (intended) collaboration.
Please state the name of the partner:
Our top five partners for addressing Zanzibar's waste management challenges are:
UNICEF (International Organization): Collaborating on the WasteX Lab initiative, UNICEF and UNDP aim to scale pro-poor enterprises in solid waste management, focusing on youth and women's engagement in circular economy approaches. sdg-innovation-commons.org+1undp.org+
The State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) (Academic Institution): Partnering in crowdmapping informal urban infrastructures, SUZA contributes research and data collection expertise to improve waste management strategies. data.undp.or
Zanzibar Urban Municipal Council (ZUMC) (Government Agency): Working with ZUMC to implement effective waste management policies and support community-based recycling initiatives
Open Map Development Tanzania (OMDTZ) (Non-Governmental Organization): Collaborating on mapping and data collection projects to identify waste management infrastructure gaps and inform policy decisions. smartertogether.ear
Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) (Academic Institution): Partnering to provide technical training and support for innovative waste recycling and management solutions
What sector does our partner belong to?
Government (&related)
Please provide a brief description of the collaboration.
The UNDP Accelerator Lab in Zanzibar collaborates with key partners to enhance waste management and promote circular economy practices. In partnership with UNICEF, the Lab co-established the WasteX Lab, aiming to scale pro-poor enterprises in solid waste management, particularly engaging youth and women. Collaborations with The State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) and Open Map Development Tanzania (OMDTZ) involve crowdmapping informal urban infrastructures, utilizing GIS tools to address data gaps and improve waste management strategies. Engagements with the Zanzibar Urban Municipal Council (ZUMC) focus on implementing effective waste management policies and supporting community-based recycling initiatives. Additionally, the Lab works with the Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) to provide technical training and support for innovative waste recycling solutions. These collaborations collectively aim to transform waste management practices in Zanzibar, fostering environmental sustainability and economic development
Is this a new and unusual partner for UNDP?
No
Learning questions
Learning question: What is your learning question for this challenge? What do you need to know or understand to work on your challenge statement?
Our central learning question is: How can we effectively engage and empower local communities in Zanzibar to adopt sustainable waste management practices, thereby enhancing the circular economy on the island? Understanding this requires insights into community awareness levels, cultural attitudes toward waste, existing informal waste management practices, and potential incentives that could motivate behavioral change. Additionally, identifying barriers to community participation and assessing the effectiveness of educational initiatives are crucial to developing strategies that foster active involvement in sustainable waste management.
To what stage(s) in the learning cycle does your learning question relate?
Grow
Usage of methods: Relating to your choice above, how will you use your methods & tools for this learning question? What value do these add in answering your learning question?
To effectively engage and empower Zanzibar's local communities in sustainable waste management, we will employ a multifaceted approach:
Co-Creation Workshops: These sessions will involve community members in designing waste management solutions, ensuring cultural relevance and fostering ownership
Living Labs: By implementing real-life experimental environments, we can test and refine waste management strategies within the communities themselves, promoting active participation and continuous improvement.
Hackathons: Organizing events that bring together diverse stakeholders to develop innovative waste management solutions can enhance community engagement and generate practical tools for local challenges.
Existing data gaps: Relating to your choice above, what existing gaps in data or information do these new sources of data addressing? What value do these add in answering your learning question?
Implementing co-creation workshops, living labs, and hackathons in Zanzibar's waste management initiatives addresses several existing data and information gaps:
Co-Creation Workshops: These workshops actively involve community members in designing waste management solutions, providing insights into local waste generation patterns, disposal behaviors, and cultural attitudes toward waste. This participatory approach uncovers nuanced information often absent in traditional top-down data collection methods.
Living Labs: By establishing real-life experimental environments, living labs facilitate the continuous collection of data on the effectiveness of waste management strategies, user interactions, and community feedback. This dynamic setting allows for real-time adjustments and a deeper understanding of the socio-technical aspects influencing waste management practices.
Hackathons: These events bring together diverse stakeholders to develop innovative solutions, often utilizing open data to create applications that address specific waste management challenges. Hackathons can result in tools that enhance data collection, monitoring, and analysis, thereby filling gaps in existing waste management information systems.
Closing
Early leads to grow: Think about the possible grow phase for this challenge - who might benefit from your work on this challenge or who might be the champions in your country that you should inform or collaborate with early on to help you grow this challenge?
To effectively scale recycling cooperatives in Zanzibar, it's crucial to address challenges such as inadequate training, limited access to equipment, and insufficient financial literacy among members. Collaborating with organizations like Chako Zanzibar, which provides training and income opportunities through plastic upcycling initiatives, can enhance operational capacity. Implementing comprehensive training programs focused on business management and financial literacy will empower cooperative members, ensuring sustainability. Engaging local communities and stakeholders fosters a supportive environment, promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth in Zanzibar.
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8Decent work and economic growth
10Reduced innequalities
12Responsible consumption and production
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