The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), in collaboration, with a renowned Lagos-based social enterprise, Mitimeth Nigeria, has commenced the fifth edition of its Annual Water Hyacinth Recycling initiative geared towards training interested youths on the economic benefits of recycling water hyacinth.
Speaking during the flag-off of the 10-Day training programme at Ijede Local Council Development Area, the Managing Director of LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, said the Agency is turning the menace of water hyacinth into sustainable livelihood and fashion for people in coastal communities by providing requisite skills to convert the hyacinth into valuable handcrafted materials such as bags, mats, furniture items and textile decorations.
He added that the menace of water hyacinth is being transformed into sustainable livelihood for youths, just as LASWA is also into Regenerative Agriculture with Water Hyacinth-based Biochar (RAWB), through a partnership with P. I. B Global Services – a startup firm dedicated to turning environmental problems into common solutions.
According to him, the RAWB programme is focused on removing water hyacinth, burning it and using the ashes as a soil enhancer to improve food availability in the State.
“The RAWB can be used in two ways, for Livestock and Crop farming. For livestock, water hyacinth-based biochar is poured on the poultry floor to absorb heat, gas and odour, thus making the place safe for the birds, farmers and environment. The mixture of the biochar with poultry waste is then used as organic manure to improve crop yield on the farms”, Emmanuel explained.
Recall that LASWA had organised similar training programmes for over 400 youths in different areas of the State, such as Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe, Falomo and Badore.
