Bio4HUMAN Achieved Its Fourth Milestone: Concluded our engagement with DRC & South Sudan communities and stakeholders

Bio4HUMAN is a Horizon Europe–funded research project working to improve waste management in humanitarian aid by identifying safe, effective and bio-based alternatives to conventional materials. In emergency and displacement settings, where waste infrastructure is often limited, the project brings together humanitarian organisations, researchers and industry partners to develop solutions that are both environmentally sustainable and practical to use on the ground.

In May 2026, Bio4HUMAN successfully reached its fourth project milestone: covering the engagement with communities as validators of feasibility of the 10 final solutions proposed. This milestone marks an important achievement in ensuring that the voices, experiences and priorities of local stakeholders directly contribute to the identification of more sustainable and context-appropriate bio-based solutions for humanitarian settings.

As part of the work, led by Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH), Bio4HUMAN carried out community engagement activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) led by People in Need (PIN) and South Sudan. Through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, the project gathered valuable feedback on the solutions and understood their preferences and concerns.The activities engaged 73 different stakeholders from local communities, humanitarian actors, businesses, government representatives and academia The results were compiled into the Community Engagement Summary Report, providing an important evidence base for the project’s final recommendations and guidelines.

The field research highlighted that community acceptance is highly dependent on local context and experience. While stakeholders expressed strong support for reducing non-biodegradable waste and improving waste management practices, successful implementation requires solutions that align with existing practices, user needs, affordability and local realities. Technologies with previous implementation experience, such as biogas systems and Black Soldier Fly (BSF) solutions, showed particularly strong interest and demand across both countries.

“Discussions with the community have revealed a strong preference for bio-based solutions that would reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills and drains – the management of which remains a headache for the authorities – particularly plastic packaging (bottles and bags), as well as other bio-based solutions. Almost all stakeholders prefer locally produced bio-based solutions. A pilot and upscaling phase for certain solutions would be desirable to enable the practical application of the results of these 30 months of research.” – PIN DRC

“As Polish Humanitarian Action, we consider this engagement highly valuable. The diverse perspectives shared have contributed significantly to a deeper understanding of both barriers and opportunities for scaling bio-based solutions adapted to the South Sudan context. This process also underscores the importance PAH places on inclusive and participatory approaches. Enabling stakeholders from the case study countries to actively share their experiences and insights ensures that interventions are grounded in local realities and are more likely to be sustainable and impactful.” – PAH

The community engagement activities also complemented Bio4HUMAN’s broader environmental, economic and social assessments. One of the project outputs is an Excel-based Life Cycle Costing (LCC) tool developed by WeLOOP to support evidence-based decision-making for humanitarian organisations. The tool allows users to compare alternative kit configurations and test different implementation scenarios by adjusting variables such as packaging options, transport modes, storage duration and country context. Rather than serving as a precise forecasting model, it was designed as a practical decision-support tool that helps organisations explore how operational choices may influence overall costs and challenge assumptions regarding the affordability of bio-based alternatives.

The completion of this milestone ensures that Bio4HUMAN recommendations are informed not only by environmental and technical assessments, but also by the perspectives of the communities and stakeholders who would ultimately interact with and benefit from these solutions.

As Bio4HUMAN approaches its final phase, the project continues advancing evidence-based pathways towards more sustainable, circular and bio-based humanitarian operations.