On the shores of Lake Naivasha, thick mats of water hyacinth are choking aquatic life, blocking sunlight, and devastating local fisheries. But for Kenyan engineer Joseph Nguthiru, the invasive plant became an opportunity to fight both environmental degradation and plastic pollution.
Nguthiru is the founder and CEO of HyaPak, a start-up transforming water hyacinth into biodegradable alternatives to plastic, creating eco-friendly products while supporting local jobs.
“Water hyacinth is the world’s most invasive aquatic weed,” Nguthiru says. “It destroys aquatic ecosystems and affects fishing, irrigation, and even increases malaria risks.”
HyaPak’s standout innovation is its biodegradable seedling bags, which are planted directly into the soil and release nutrients as they decompose, accelerating plant growth and eliminating plastic waste.
“Our products feel and perform like plastic but decompose quickly, solving two problems at once,” he explains.
So far, Nguthiru’s team has cleared over 20 acres of water hyacinth from Lake Naivasha. Their efforts have earned him the 2025 Young Champion of the Earth Award from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
By Rédaction Africanews and AP
The 27-year-old climate-tech engineer co-founded HyaPak, a company that transforms invasive water hyacinth from Lake Naivasha in Kenya into eco-friendly packaging bags and biodegradable seedling wrappers. This innovation helps replace single-use plastic products, contributing to healthier agricultural lands and CO₂ offset. Joseph co-founded Planet A, a YouTube channel focussed on environmental awareness and action. His work addresses plastic pollution, sustainable alternatives and circular economy principles.
Bangladesh farmers incorporate water hyacinth in farming practices
Farmers, of Bangladesh, especially in some water-logged areas, ingeniously incorporated water hyacinth into their farming practices, showcasing remarkable adaptability to climate change challenges.
As a traditional practice, water hyacinth is woven into floating mats or rafts, creating fertile beds for growing various vegetables like turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, lady’s fingers (okra), tomatoes and red amaranth. These gardens thrive in coastal regions that are prone to flooding and sea rise.
As water hyacinth decomposes, it releases nutrients that nourish crops grown on these floating beds, making them highly fertile. Farmers report significantly higher incomes from floating gardens compared to traditional rice cultivation, with some earning four times more during rainy seasons. After 10 years, degraded hyacinth mats can be repurposed as fertiliser for land crops.
Organisations like Caritas Bangladesh provide training, encouragement and financial support to farmers adopting floating agriculture. Agricultural offices offer training, and districts like Gopalganj have seen significant adoption. Saline water intrusion in some areas can limit water hyacinth availability.
Visit https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200910-the-remarkable-floating-gardens-of-bangladesh for a BBC feature on the floating gardens of Bangladesh.
Image courtesy weADAPT, a dynamic, collaborative space for knowledge exchange on climate change adaptation issues.