The final strand of the Afri-Plastics Challenge, called Promoting Change and delivered by London-based innovation foundation Nesta Challenges, will begin accepting applications from December 8.

This marks the last leg of the challenge after Strand 1: Accelerating Growth and Strand 2: Creating Solutions were launched in July and October, respectively.

Nesta Challenges exists to design and run challenge prizes that help solve pressing problems that lack solutions.

Successful applicants for Strand 3 will use innovative engagement strategies, such as gamification, incentives and storytelling, to promote behavioural change and educate communities, as well as provide insights into the roles that women and girls play across the value chain.

With the growing risks of inadequate plastic waste management, innovators, startups and established companies in sub-Saharan Africa, Nesta Challenges provides an opportunity to showcase inclusive ideas to respond to plastic waste management issues by seeking gaps in the innovation landscape that can make a positive difference in both the environment and communities.

Nesta Challenges international development director Constance Agyeman says plastic pollution is a “terrible and ever-growing threat” to the environment and health of sub-Saharan African communities.

“Sustainable consumer choices will make the difference between disaster and success in taking on the millions of tonnes of plastic being dumped, buried and burnt each year across the continent.”

She adds that, not only is it necessary to innovate to reduce the quantity of plastic being produced and to better manage plastic waste after it is used, but key to the long-term success of tackling plastic pollution will be people and the choices they make.

Here, Agyeman says, creative communications that shift behaviour and attitudes around plastic use are essential.

Studies have shown that individual behaviours can have measurable and significant environmental impacts and individuals or organisations that build effective programmes that increase the level of environmentally responsible behaviours, such as plastic waste recycling, form an important part of creating positive environmental change.

Tactics like altering the size and shape of the openings of containers for things like plastic bottles and cans can influence recycling behaviours. In one study, distributing flyers urging shoppers to buy returnable bottles resulted in a 15% increase in the buying of returnable bottles.

It is through Strand 3: Promoting Change that the Afri-Plastics Challenge hopes to inspire this change.

By the end of the challenge, the best solutions will have generated evidence of change in one or more behaviours such as reduced littering, segregation of plastic waste before the recycling process and favouring reusable plastics over single-use plastics.

Green Africa Youth Organisation founder Joshua Amponsem says that, with governments across sub-Saharan Africa urging communities to come together on issues of conservation and sustainability, one of the key actions is to eliminate all single-use plastics from their countries’ operations, products and supply chain.

The first step can be undertaken by changing approaches towards consumer packaging and behaviour around plastic waste.

The Afri-Plastics Challenge’s Strand 3 hopes to do this by finding the most creative and innovative strategies for promoting this shift in behaviour.

Thirty semi-finalists for Strand 3 of the Afri-Plastics Challenge will receive capacity-building support to further develop their engagement strategies, alongside a grant of £5 000 each.

Fifteen finalists will then be selected in June 2022 to implement their ideas and each win £50 000.

Finally, three winners in March 2023 will receive a combined total prize of £750 000.