Project Overview
The CIWACIWE project, implemented by Harvest Value Chain Limited under the INCiTiS Food initiative, is demonstrating how circular agricultural practices can improve resource efficiency, reduce waste, and support sustainable food production in Kwara State, Nigeria.
Through the project, agricultural resources that would traditionally be treated as waste are integrated into food production systems. One example is the use of nutrient-rich fishpond wastewater to support vegetable production.
The approach connects aquaculture and crop production, creating an integrated system where outputs from one farming activity serve as inputs for another.
The Challenge
Nigeria is battling a food insecurity challenge, with 35 million people at risk. Smallholder farmers are struggling with rising production costs, limited access to agricultural inputs, and inefficient management of resources generated during production.
Across farming ecosystems, crop leftovers, animal manure, and waste products such as water are discarded after use. Yet they all can be reused as compost, feed or natural fertilisers; which are agricultural inputs that several farmers struggle to access. In fish farming, wastewater from ponds is drained out after use. At the same time, vegetable farmers require water and nutrients to maintain crop production.
The circular farming model connects several waste, water, emissions and feed security challenges into one integrated solution; exploring how farming production needs can be connected.
In Nigeria, the City Waste City Wealth initiative is demonstrating the impact of this model in real time, leveraging collaboration amongst leading agri-focused ventures to promote circular agricultural practices amongst farmers in the country.
The CIWACIWE Approach
With support from INCiTiS Food Initiative, CIWACIWE’s approach combines aquaculture, substrate-based crop production and resource recycling into an integrated agricultural model. The model promotes the movement of nutrients within the production system, reducing waste while supporting vegetable cultivation.
Crops demonstrated through the project include cucumber and pepper, alongside other agricultural activities by the participating organization: African Project Development Centre(APDC), Harvest Value Chain(HVC) and Ijebu Development Initiation on Poverty Reduction.
HVC’s Contribution
In Kwara State, Harvest Value Chain leads the implementation of CIWACIE, also hosting the project’s first ever Living Hub in North-Central Nigeria.
The HVC team combines agricultural production, technology, farmer engagement, and digital infrastructure to demonstrate practical pathways farmers in communities across the state can contribute to a resource-efficient food system.
Through our work at the Kwara Living Hub and participating farmer locations, we have trained over 600 agribusiness owners and supported the demonstration, testing, and adoption of circular agricultural innovations for 30 local farmers
Connecting Production With Digital Technology
In line with our mission to create infinite possibilities for Africa’s agricultural sector, we are also maximising the CIWACIWE project to pilot FoodFlow, a digital platform that strengthens the connection between agricultural production and market access.
FoodFlow farmers to retail and commercial buyers, providing a digital connection between physical farm plots and the end users of its producers. Its system is designed to support information on crop origin, production stages, availability, and potential market connections.
This creates an additional layer of traceability and visibility within the agricultural value chain.
From Demonstration to Farmer Adoption
These efforts have yielded results with farmers and farming communities around the Kwara Living Hub, now adopting circular agricultural practices.
In Eiyenkorin, a fish farmer, Agbadun Abdulrahman who was skeptical when introduced to the model, has now adopted the use of fishpond wastewater for containerized cucumber production.
“I didn’t think taking wastewater from my fish and pouring it over potted cucumber plants made any sense. It felt risky,” he said.
Following the implementation and observation of the system, the cucumber plants showed strong vegetative growth and have matured to produce flowers, signaling the onset of crops.
His experience demonstrates and those of over 100 farmers within the HVC Cooperative society demonstrates how we are working with farmers to observe, test, evaluate, and adapt the innovation within their own production environment.
“It’s one thing to run a high-tech facility at a central hub, but seeing a farmer adopt the system at his own pond side shows real viability,” noted Dr Oyediran. Oyebola, food science expert and supervisor of the CIWACIWE initiative, during a recent site assessment.
“The crops grew faster and healthier than standard soil planting. I’m convinced now. I want to expand my containers, and I’m telling other fish farmers around Eiyenkorin to stop draining their nutrient-rich water into ditches,” – Abdulrahman
Building Circular Agriculture in Kwara
The activities at the Kwara LI.Hub and Eiyenkorin demonstrate the practical application of circular agriculture principles.
Emerging Results
The implementation of CIWACIWE in Kwara is producing several early outcomes:
Lessons From the Field
The experience in Kwara State, Nigeria highlights the importance of designing agricultural innovations around resources and conditions available to local farmers. It also demonstrates the value of moving from central demonstration facilities to farmer-managed environments.
The impact on farmers across Kwara State, reinforces the potential of integrated production systems to connect different components of the food value chain.
Additionally, the CIWACIWE model highlights the importance of practical demonstration in driving agricultural technology adoption amongst farmers.
Looking Ahead
Harvest Value Chain’s participation in the City Waste City Wealth, CIWACIWE initiative has laid a practical foundation for further farmer engagement, technology refinement, peer learning, and expansion of integrated production systems.
We will continue to explore how circular agricultural models can be adapted to the realities of smallholder farmers in Nigeria. For the CIWACIWE team, it has been a rewarding experience in connecting resources, technology, farmers, and food production to build more sustainable and efficient agricultural value chains.
