ALL4Compost: Civil Society in Action for Circular Green Waste Management is a new European project focused on the circular use of agricultural prunings and livestock waste, as well as on strengthening civil society participation. The project is launching in the Lefke area, with the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers as the lead partner, the AKTI Research and Study Centre, and the Lefke Society for the Preservation of the Environment and Ecology.

Funded by the European Union under the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, All4Compost aims to introduce an innovative, economically viable, participatory, and locally adapted model for managing agricultural prunings and producing compost within the Turkish Cypriot community. The model is based on the active involvement of civil society and local stakeholders.

At the core of the project is the creation of a “Compost Community” in the Lefke area. The initiative seeks to bring together farmers, local authorities, organisations, and citizens to jointly design and co-own a functional system for collecting agricultural prunings and converting them into high-quality, low-cost compost. Farmers will supply their organic residues and receive ready-made compost in return, reducing production costs and actively contributing to the reduction of the environmental footprint of agricultural activities.

AKTI, drawing on its experience in the co-management of green waste and in bi-communal cooperation, will transfer its expertise to the Turkish Cypriot community. Its contribution will focus on system design, technical guidance, and the adaptation of the model to local conditions and needs.

The Lefke area, with its long agricultural tradition and significant environmental challenges, faces serious issues related to the accumulation of green waste, the burning of prunings, and soil degradation. All4Compost seeks to provide a practical, low-cost, and socially fair solution by applying the Symbiotic and Circular Green Waste Management Scheme, a model that has already been recognised as innovative through European-funded projects implemented in Cyprus.

Within the framework of the project, activities will include mapping green waste streams and existing infrastructure, participatory co-design workshops, training sessions for farmers, local authorities, and organisations, as well as live demonstrations of composting processes. These demonstrations will use equipment and tools that make composting both sustainable and affordable. In parallel, awareness-raising and educational activities in schools and among citizens will help foster a new culture of responsible green waste management.

Through All4Compost, a new pathway is being created towards local self-sufficiency in high-quality, low-cost compost, the protection of soil fertility, and the development of more resilient and sustainable rural areas in Cyprus. By promoting participatory processes, education, hands-on training, and the establishment of a co-management community, the project strengthens citizens’ skills, empowers local communities, and encourages cooperation and collective action.

AKTI Research and Study Centre is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation based in Nicosia. It was founded in 2000 by a group of environmental experts and has since developed an extensive network of partners and volunteers working on public environmental awareness and the promotion of sustainable development.

More specifically, AKTI is engaged in applied environmental research, environmental education and professional training, integrated coastal zone management, and the protection and management of the marine environment.

For more information, visit the following link: https://www.akti.org.cy/