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How a network of schools in Accra, Ghana transformed food waste into a resource while teaching students about sustainability and entrepreneurship
Contact Us to Start Your ProjectThe Accra School Composting Program began in 2017 as a pilot project in three primary schools in Accra, Ghana. The initiative aimed to address the dual challenges of waste management and environmental education by establishing school-based composting systems that would transform food waste from school kitchens and student lunches into valuable compost for school gardens.
With support from Dilulu, the program has expanded to include 24 schools across Accra, creating a network of educational institutions that are reducing waste, producing nutritious food, and providing hands-on learning opportunities for students. The composting systems serve as living laboratories where students learn about ecology, waste management, climate change, and sustainable agriculture.
Beyond its environmental benefits, the program has evolved to include entrepreneurial components, with several schools developing student-led enterprises that sell surplus compost and garden produce to the local community. These micro-enterprises generate income for school programs while teaching students valuable business and leadership skills.
The Accra School Composting Program demonstrates how schools can serve as catalysts for community-level sustainability initiatives, transforming environmental challenges into educational opportunities and empowering young people as agents of change.
The schools in Accra faced multiple interconnected challenges related to waste management, environmental education, and resource constraints.
School kitchens and student lunches generated significant amounts of food waste that was typically sent to landfills, contributing to Accra's waste management challenges and producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Environmental topics were often taught theoretically, with limited opportunities for hands-on learning. Students struggled to connect classroom lessons to real-world environmental challenges and solutions.
Many schools wanted to establish gardens for educational purposes but faced challenges with poor soil quality and limited resources for purchasing inputs like fertilizers and soil amendments.
Urban students had limited understanding of food production systems, with many never having experienced growing food or understanding the connection between agriculture and environmental sustainability.
Schools operated with limited budgets for environmental initiatives and faced competing priorities for teacher time and attention, making it difficult to implement and sustain new programs.
Initial skepticism from parents and community members about composting activities, with concerns about odors, pests, and the appropriateness of students working with waste materials.
The Accra School Composting Program developed an integrated approach that transformed waste management challenges into educational opportunities while building capacity within schools to sustain the initiative.
Schools implemented composting systems designed specifically for the educational context—safe, manageable by students, and appropriate for the types and quantities of food waste generated. Different schools use various methods including traditional compost piles, compost bins, and vermicomposting (worm composting) based on their specific needs and space constraints.
A comprehensive curriculum was developed that integrates composting and gardening activities with Ghana's educational standards across multiple subjects. The curriculum includes lesson plans, activities, and assessment tools that help teachers connect composting to science, mathematics, social studies, and entrepreneurship education.
Each school established "Green Teams" of student leaders who take primary responsibility for managing the composting systems and gardens. These teams receive special training and mentoring, then share their knowledge with other students through peer education activities.
Comprehensive teacher training programs equip educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to facilitate composting and gardening activities and integrate them into their teaching. Ongoing support includes regular workshops, a teacher resource network, and classroom materials.
Each participating school established educational gardens that use the compost produced on-site. Gardens are designed as outdoor classrooms with diverse planting areas, demonstration plots, and student work spaces. Crops include vegetables, fruits, and traditional Ghanaian food plants.
As the program matured, an entrepreneurship component was added, with students developing small enterprises that sell surplus compost, seedlings, and produce. Students learn business planning, marketing, financial management, and customer service through these real-world enterprises.
The Accra School Composting Program has achieved significant impacts across environmental, educational, and community dimensions.
The program diverts approximately 36 tons of food waste from landfills annually, reducing methane emissions and transportation impacts. The compost produced enriches school gardens, improving soil health and water retention. Several schools have documented increased biodiversity in their garden areas, with greater presence of beneficial insects, birds, and soil organisms.
Students in participating schools show significantly higher environmental literacy scores compared to peers in non-participating schools. Teachers report greater student engagement in science and mathematics when lessons incorporate the composting and gardening activities. The hands-on nature of the program has been particularly effective for engaging students who struggle with traditional classroom instruction.
School gardens now produce a variety of vegetables and fruits that supplement school meal programs. Several schools have incorporated traditional Ghanaian food crops, contributing to cultural education and food sovereignty. The gardens serve as demonstration sites for climate-resilient agricultural practices, including water conservation techniques and companion planting.
Fifteen schools have developed student-led enterprises that generate income through the sale of compost, seedlings, and produce. These enterprises collectively generated over 15,000 GHS (approximately $2,500 USD) in the past year, with proceeds supporting school programs and infrastructure improvements. Students involved in these enterprises demonstrate improved financial literacy, communication skills, and confidence.
The program has strengthened connections between schools and their surrounding communities. Parent involvement in school activities has increased, with many parents volunteering in the gardens and learning composting techniques to use at home. Several schools host community composting workshops, extending the program's impact beyond the school grounds.
The success of the program has influenced educational policy, with Ghana's Education Service now recommending school composting and gardening as best practices for environmental education. The program has been featured as a case study in national teacher training materials on Education for Sustainable Development.
The program's curriculum integrates composting and gardening activities across multiple subject areas, providing rich opportunities for interdisciplinary learning.
Students explore decomposition processes, soil ecology, plant growth, and nutrient cycles through hands-on investigation of the composting system.
Composting and gardening provide authentic contexts for applying mathematical concepts and skills.
Students explore the social, cultural, and economic dimensions of waste management and food systems.
Composting and gardening experiences serve as inspiration for reading, writing, and communication activities.
Student enterprises provide authentic contexts for developing business and leadership skills.
The program fosters essential skills that support student development beyond academic subjects.
Hear from the teachers, students, and administrators who have been part of the Accra School Composting Program.
Before we started composting, I taught environmental science from textbooks. Students would memorize facts about decomposition and nutrient cycles, but it was all abstract to them. Now, we use our composting system as a living laboratory. When I teach about decomposers, we can actually observe them in action. Students are much more engaged, asking questions and making connections I never anticipated. The compost pile has become one of our most valuable teaching tools.
I joined the Green Team when I was in Primary 4. At first, I thought composting would be disgusting, but now it's my favorite school activity. I've learned so much about how nature recycles everything. Last year, I started a composting bin at home and taught my parents how to use it. My mother says I'm the environmental expert in our family now! I'm proud that our team has diverted over 2 tons of food waste from landfills. We're making a real difference in our community.
As a school administrator, I was initially concerned about adding another program to our already busy schedule. But the composting program has actually made our school more efficient by reducing waste disposal costs and integrating with our existing curriculum rather than competing with it. The student enterprise component has been particularly valuable, generating income that we've used to improve our facilities. Beyond the practical benefits, I've seen a transformation in how our students view environmental challenges—they now approach problems with creativity and optimism.
Visual highlights from the Accra School Composting Program.
Inspired by the Accra School Composting Program? Dilulu can help your school or educational institution develop a composting program that transforms waste into educational opportunities and resources.
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