To provide a more in-depth understanding of how eco-enterprises work, how they can help achieve sustainable development on the ground and how enabling frameworks can be created to help them scale up, SEED offers a range of detailed case studies that have emerged from various SEED Research projects. The 2016 case study series by SEED sheds a light on the versatile impacts of locally-driven eco-enterprises. The individual case studies are enhanced with short multimedia features that showcase the innovation, the partnership and the social and environmental impact of each enterprise.
This case study highlights Waste to Food (W2F), a South African enterprise located in Cape Town’s Philippi Township. W2F has developed a combination of technologies to overcome the widespread disposal of organic waste to landfills in South Africa, while at the same time contributing to employment and food security. Through partners, W2F collects food waste from large producers, such as retailers and hospitality groups, and from markets. With their innovative processing system, the waste is subsequently recycled into commercial high-quality vermicompost. The organic compost is then sold to commercial clients such as garden centres, seedling producers and farmers. By employing people from the Philippi Township and training them to become independent compost entrepreneurs and gardeners, W2F offers new livelihood opportunities to address poverty in the community.