Impact Makers: Deepa Lama

Promoting urban sustainability through kitchen composting and rooftop farming in Kathmandu By Climate Champions | November 18, 2024

NAME

Deepa Lama

TITLE

Co-founder and President, Kalpavaatika Society Nepal

LOCATION

Kathmandu, Nepal

ABOUT

Deepa Lama is the co-founder and president of Kalpavaatika Society Nepal, an organization working to address urban sustainability challenges in Kathmandu through nature-based solutions. Her initiative, “Enhancing Urban Sustainability through Nature-based Solutions,” focuses on providing kitchen waste composting and rooftop farming training to 500 community members in Nagarjun Municipality, Kathmandu. In partnership with the local government and with support from UNDP’s Youth4Climate team, the project distributes compost bins and grafted fruit plants to encourage urban households to reduce methane emissions and address the city’s growing waste management and food security issues.

Kathmandu, like many rapidly urbanizing areas, faces significant waste management challenges. Most organic waste generated in the city is dumped into landfills, contributing to rising methane emissions, further exacerbating climate change. Deepa’s initiative aims to create a circular economy by converting this waste into compost and using it for rooftop farming.

MOTIVATIONS

“I am Deepa Lama, a 26-year-old, hailing from the beautiful land of Nepal. Pursuing a master’s degree in Environmental Science, my passion for environmental conservation led me to co-found Kalpavaatika Society Nepal in 2022. This all-women-led organization comprises a dedicated team of environmentalists and health sector educators, united by a shared vision of fostering positive change in our environment.

My journey as a climate change advocate and environmentalist began during my undergraduate years in 2014. Back then, the term “climate change” was still relatively new in the context of Nepal. Intrigued by the prospect of meaningful change, I actively participated in rallies organized by my seniors who shared the same concerns. The 2015 plastic bag policy became a pivotal moment that propelled me into action, igniting a passion for sustainable practices and environmental advocacy. My commitment to the cause was further solidified by the realization that, despite policy changes, the implementation was lacking at the grassroots level. As I navigate adulthood, I can’t help but reflect on the stark differences between then and now in my city, Kathmandu. The air, once pure and invigorating, has become tainted, and the availability of drinking water, once a given, is now a costly commodity. I still remember the days when our yard was a haven for crows and sparrows  – where have they gone? This is not only my story; it echoes the sentiments of households across the country especially in urban areas.

While advocates were negotiating for the climate justice, loss and damage policies at international stages, the everyday struggle of waste management in Kathmandu city was heartbreaking for me. The situation was even worse during the COVID. Just one week of delay by waste collectors and every household was filled with the smell of their own produced waste. Hence, the idea of this project arose during the COVID crisis which intends to solve multiple issues. Kitchen composting training aims to solve the management of organic waste at source. Rooftop farming training will utilize the produced home compost in their own green space supporting urban greenery, urban biodiversity, urban food security and ultimately reducing methane emission by diverting the waste going into open landfill.

Urban sustainability is important for me as, with increasing urbanization, cities have to deal with mounting challenges such as waste management, resource scarcity, pollution and climate change impacts. To ensure livable, equitable, and resilient cities, urban sustainability is critical.”

IMPACTS

Before

While challenges are ongoing, before Deepa’s project, urban households in Nagarjun Municipality faced significant challenges:

• Around 90% of households, or approximately 450 homes, disposed of 317 grams of organic waste per capita per day into landfills, contributing to over 15,620 cubic metres of greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide annually.
• Although some households attempted rooftop farming, the majority of homes (around 80%) had unutilized rooftop spaces. This contributed to the urban heat island effect and increased energy consumption in buildings.
• Most community members had little to no knowledge about composting and using grafted fruit plants, with 90% of households lacking ground space to grow fruit trees.
• The increasing urbanization of Kathmandu limited access to fresh produce, with few opportunities for households to grow their own food within the city’s confines.

After

Since the implementation of the project, significant changes have occurred:

• The project trained 500 participants in kitchen waste composting, helping divert organic waste from landfills. The organic waste is now turned into fertilizer, contributing to the creation of a circular economy within the community.
• Rooftop farming has been embraced by the community, with participants using the compost they generate to grow food on their rooftops, converting previously unused spaces into green areas and helping to mitigate the urban heat island effect.
• The introduction of rooftop farming has also supported urban biodiversity by attracting pollinators and birds, which were previously absent in many parts of the community.
• With the distribution of 300 grafted fruit plants, households are now able to grow a wider variety of crops and fruits, even in the limited space of urban rooftops.
• The project cultivated a sense of ownership among 500 households, encouraging them to take an active role in sustainability and environmental conservation.

CHALLENGES

Deepa’s project has made significant progress, but not without facing challenges:

• As a youth-led initiative in an area that had never seen such a project before, winning the trust of the community was a major challenge. Approaching local government and gaining their support helped overcome initial doubts.
• Providing training to 500 beneficiaries with a small team presented logistical difficulties. However, the project was able to move forward with the enthusiastic support of local volunteers and youth from the community.

GOALS

• Involve more municipalities + more households (1000 households), promoting Nagarjun Municipality as a model to encourage other municipalities toward rooftop farming and kitchen composting
• Strengthening community education and skills development
• Developing focused training on grafting, soil management, and organic farming
• Partnering with schools, urban farmers, and other youth organizations
• Enhance Biodiversity and Green Space Connectivity
• Partnering with corporate sectors to include green space on their building as a part of corporate social responsibility
• Fostering collaboration and coordination with local authorities to advocate for policies such as incentives for compost bins

DEEPA’S ADVICE

“Never stop believing in yourself and your ideas. Every city has their own set of environmental problems and if you think your idea is what your city needs right now then just go for it. Your idea does not have to be out of the box every time. Most of the time we neglect the simple solution that’s in front of us. So, believe in your idea.”

CONTACT

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