Wastewater Use for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Wastewater Use for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture
Wastewater is a resource of increasing global importance, particularly in urban and peri-urban agriculture.
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Wastewater is used for crop production, which includes fodder grasses, vegetables, cereals, ornamental plants, trees and flowers, timber crops and fruit trees, as well as for aquaculture and is often the only source of irrigation available.
Wastewater use for irrigation generates livelihoods for farmers, agricultural labourers, produce transporters, market brokers and produce vendors. Consumers also benefit by obtaining access to fresh and cheap produce due to low transportation costs.
To prevent potential negative impacts on human health and the environment, the importance of wastewater reuse in urban and peri-urban agriculture has to be recognised and clear policy guidelines for reuse need to be established. Careful research and awareness raising needs to be stimulated.
Women play a key role in this context both as producers and in food preparation. Wastewater use in urban, peri-urban agriculture is a cross-sectoral issue that requires a multi-sectoral and multi-actor approach to research and planning.
Introduction
Agriculture is often associated with rural areas, even though it has been practiced in urban and peri-urban areas since ancient times in backyards, on roof tops and road sides, in vacant plots and un-constructed areas, on river and lake beds and in other such small land lots.
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UA) provides nutrition and income, improves the urban environment by using the organic solid and liquid wastes of the city, provides aesthetic value to these areas and helps to achieve optimum land utilisation.
However, city planners often ignore this important economic activity and do not include it in their planning. Agricultural finance institutions do not provide loans to urban farmers due partly to the fact that most of them do not have land titles and because the activity itself is considered insignificant.
In addition to these factors that can hinder the success of UA, urban and peri-urban farmers often do not have access to a safe and reliable water supply. Issues related to this essential resource for agriculture are discussed in this chapter.