Soneva Namoona partners with Kamadhoo Inn to trial Takakura composting

Soneva Namoona, a local NGO focused on building sustainable island communities, has partnered with Kamadhoo Inn to introduce a new approach to managing food waste from guesthouses. The collaboration represents a step toward a more sustainable tourism model in the Maldives, with guesthouses participating actively in local waste management systems.

Under the initiative, Kamadhoo Inn will pilot the Takakura composting method, a simple, low-cost, and effective technique for processing organic waste. The initial six-month programme, beginning in November 2025, aims to show how guesthouses can manage food waste on site, reducing the volume sent to central waste facilities.

Soneva Namoona has previously applied the Takakura method with positive results. Home-composting initiatives have been implemented in B. Kihaadhoo, B. Kendhoo, B. Kudarikilu, and B. Dhonfanu, while an island-level trial in N. Kudafari diverted 30 percent of food waste from disposal sites.

Building on these outcomes, the new pilot will explore how guesthouses—an important part of local economic activity—can contribute to island waste management while operating more sustainably.

“This pilot is more than just a composting experiment,” said Mohamed Ibrahim, Programme Manager at Soneva Namoona. “It’s about empowering guesthouses to become leaders in sustainable tourism and demonstrating that environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with economic opportunity.”

At the conclusion of the six-month trial, Soneva Namoona plans to expand the initiative across the Maldives, inviting other guesthouses to adopt responsible waste management practices.

Through this partnership, Kamadhoo Inn and Soneva Namoona aim to demonstrate how small islands can drive meaningful change—turning waste into a resource and aligning hospitality with sustainability.