Biomimicry-based reforestation for water restoration and co-benefits in Kenyan forests
Project leaders: Mila Avellar Montezuma and Derrick Mirindi
Agriculture and the food industry produce large amounts of residues that are hardly used anywhere in the world. Yet they could be a starting point for a circular economy, with innovative reforestation based on the principle of biomimicry.
Learning from nature
The idea is to use biomimicry to strengthen the system as a cycle. Biomimicry means imitating nature’s forms, processes and ecosystems to design more sustainably: you learn from nature’s patterns and strategies and apply them to human design challenges. In this research we study how natural forests recycle nutrients efficiently, make use of residual material and restore themselves.
The Nucleario
As the first product made from agricultural and food residues, eggshells and gum arabic are mixed with water to form the Nucleario. This creates a natural fertiliser that is biodegradable and non-toxic: a sustainable and environmentally friendly product.
