Community Participation, Informal Sector Dynamics, and Smart Solutions in Urban Solid Waste Management: Evidence from Jimma, Ethiopia

Urban solid waste management (SWM) is a pervasive challenge for rapidly growing cities in the Global South, where resource constraints collide with escalating waste volumes. This study investigates the synergistic potential of community participation, informal waste sector dynamics, and technology-driven smart solutions in Jimma, Ethiopia, a medium-sized city generating approximately 150 tons of waste daily, with only 60% collected. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, the research integrated quantitative data from 400 randomly selected households with qualitative insights from 15 key informant interviews and 4 focus group discussions. Results reveal a significant gap between household willingness to participate in SWM (78%) and actual participation (32%), primarily driven by inadequate infrastructure (63%), low awareness (57%), and weak feedback mechanisms (45%). The informal sector, comprising 500–700 individuals, diverts approximately 28% of recyclable materials from landfills yet operates under precarious conditions. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.72, p < 0.01) exists between awareness and participation, with regression analysis identifying awareness and service reliability as key predictors (R² = 0.59, p < 0.01). Furthermore, 85% of households expressed willingness to use mobile apps for SWM notifications, though only 35% supported digital payments due to trust issues. The study concludes that sustainable SWM requires a tripartite strategy. It proposes an Integrated Participatory Smart Waste Management (IPSWM) model, advocating for enhanced community engagement through targeted campaigns, formalization of the informal sector, and the implementation of low-cost smart solutions like SMS alerts. This framework offers a resilient, equitable, and scalable blueprint for Jimma and similar secondary African cities, directly contributing to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption).