Imagine an organic farm where nothing is wasted: from the crops, the chicken, everything is generated in house, even the energy for the farm is generated with the bio-gas from the animal waste. I recently came across the  Songhai Center, and loved the idea that Godfrey Nzamujo has implemented in Porto-Novo, Benin. Created in 1985 by Godfrey Nzamujo, a Dominican priest with doctorate degrees in electronics, development science and microbiology, the Songhai Center is an NGO which promotes entrepreneurship in agriculture aimed at making the poor producers, actors and managers of their own future. His main goal is to erect green rural towns where nothing is wasted. Have rural people be proud of staying and enriching their villages / towns. Songhai has found recognition beyond Benin. The UNDP (2008) regards its approach as successful in the promotion of agricultural entrepreneurship and the creation of decent jobs in rural areas.

His farm is centered around agriculture, animal husbandry, and core production. The waste from one sector becomes an input in another sector. The waste from the animal production is used to produce maggots that feed the fish, and the wastewater from fish ponds is used to irrigate the crops where vegetables and grains are produced, and the waste from the crops are used for bio-gas or to feed the animals (grains for the animals), and the droppings from the animals are used for compost. And the products, meat, eggs, fruits, etc, are eaten by men. Everything is bio: fertilizers are from compost, no chemicals are used! Natural fertilizers are used. No pesticides are used: pest management is implemented using plants themselves via inter-cropping or integrated pest management. The pure clean water used for drinking comes from a deep well; the water from the rain is also harvested, and water from sewage is purified using plants and various organisms to be used in the agriculture and plants. Part of the electricity comes from the bio-gas, some from the diesel, and some from the national grid. Even the plastic bottles containers for the juices produced in-house are made from plastic waste used at the center, while the machinery for the farm is built in-house as well! Watch, Enjoy, and get Inspired!