What started in January 2024 as a three-month food waste assessment in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has since grown into a citywide push for climate resilience, circular economy solutions, and smarter urban planning.

Through the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme (GCIP), ASI initially led rapid assessments in three of the city’s largest fruit and vegetable markets—Madibo, Buruguni, and Ilala. The insights sparked significant interest, securing a £1 million buy-in for the Dar es Salaam Urban Resilience Project (DURP).

Since then, the work has expanded well beyond its original scope—engaging five municipalities, catalysing new investment, piloting ICT solutions, influencing policy, and putting food waste and climate finance on the agenda in Tanzania and beyond.

EXPANDING THE SCOPE

From July 2024 to March 2025, ASI, leading the GCIP alliance, commenced the implementation of the DURP, which is broader in scope than phase 1 and seeks to generate data-driven recommendations for the government and key stakeholders. Waste management remains a major challenge for rapidly urbanising cities, with Dar es Salaam experiencing significant infrastructure deficits due to its fast-growing population. The project began with extensive stakeholder engagement, including key government departments such as the Vice President’s Office (VPO), the President’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG), a high-powered Technical Working Group, municipal officers, civil society organisations, and other donor-funded projects, including the World Bank and C40. These engagements, alongside rapid data collection, resulted in three key outcomes:

1. UNPRECEDENTED DATA COLLECTION & CO-CREATION OF SOLUTIONS

The DURP successfully gathered food waste and recycling data that was previously unavailable, co developing practical and data driven waste management solutions with stakeholders. The Tanzanian government recognised this as a critical milestone in addressing systemic waste sector challenges. 

2. GHG EMISSIONS MODELLING FOR POLICY IMPACT ASSESSMENT 

The DURP developed a robust GHG model to assess the potential impact of waste policies on emissions. This tool enables policymakers to tailor interventions more effectively while demonstrating project benefits to potential donors, thereby strengthening the city’s ability to secure climate finance. In March 2025, the DURP trained city officials on using the model, which they acknowledged as a game changer in urban waste management. 

3. DRIVING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN WASTE MANAGEMENT 

Recognising the transformative potential of technology in waste management, the DURP actively supported young entrepreneurs integrating digital solutions into the sector. Despite the early-stage nature of such innovations in Dar es Salaam, the DURP fostered an enabling environment through a one-day Hackathon in February 2025, which showcased eight tech-driven waste solutions. The top three innovations are now receiving six months of incubation support from MTI Investment’s Elevate Blue Incubation & Acceleration Portfolio. 

STRENGTHENING MULTILATERAL COLLABORATION

The DURP exemplifies effective UK coordination with multilateral agencies to amplify impact. Its data, analysis, and recommendations are informing the $110 million solid waste management component of the World Bank’s second phase of the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP2), which is set to commence in August 2025. The World Bank has also indicated its intention to incorporate DURP’s findings into its procurement process for DMDP2. In November 2024, the DURP was profiled at a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) side-event on UNEP’s Food Waste Index 2024 at the 12th Session of the World Urban Forum in Cairo, featuring speakers such as Brazil’s National Secretary for Urban Environment. Furthermore, the DURP is currently in discussions with UNDP and GIZ regarding the transfer of its Green Climate Finance Concept Note, which has already been approved by the Vice President’s Office in Tanzania, for submission to the GCF.The potential to enhance urban resilience through improved waste management is immense. The groundwork laid by the DURP in Tanzania has set a strong precedent, offering valuable lessons for other cities seeking to address similar challenges. Looking ahead, we hope to see more urban centres adopting proactive policies and innovative solutions inspired by Dar es Salaam’s journey towards sustainable waste management.