Safe and sustainable livelihoods in agricultural communities:

Best practices optimising nutrient recycling Examples of ongoing projects

Laurent Stravato, IFAD Consultant PTRome, January 29.

Background

• In the first century, the Roman Emperor Vespasian introduced a urine tax on public toilets.

• When his son Titus criticized him, he supposedly pointed out that a coin did not smell, even though it came from urine.

Faeces and urine collection in The Netherlands for agricultural use (1850-1950s)

Background

Rationale

Productive and social investment 1. Financing mechanisms of IFAD at programme level:

Mainly through loans on productive activities.2. Grants Interventions of the BSF Joint Programme

(BSF.JP) are focusing on social development that complement the IFAD loans for agricultural and rural development. (US$225million+ million investment beyond)

3. What products in the WASH sector are linking productive and social investment ?

Rationale

Economic value of Urine in Mauritania

Source: Stravato/ Dagerskog

N P K

Kg/Pers./Year 2.7*2= 4,86 0.45*2= 0,9 1.4*2=2,8

Price per Kg 160 400 500

Value/element/year 777 360 1400

Yearly value per person

2537 UM (eq.7 €)

Yearly value per family

25370 UM (eq.70 €)

Yearly value per National Population

Mauritania

3 090 000 Inh.

7.8 Billion UM (eq.21,5 Millions €)

Rationale

Crops Tomatoes Cabbage Maize Cassava

Country Burkina Faso Togo Benin Ivory Coast

No urine Harvest /Ton/Ha

2,1 19,1 2,4 4,0

With NPK

Chem. Fertilizer

Harvest /Ton/Ha

5,8 31,0 3,5 6,0

Urine Harvest /Ton/Ha

5,2 32,0 3,6 8,0

[N] Urine g/l 8,0 4,4 8,0 3,6

Liters of Urine/m3

l/m3 2,4 3,9 5,4 6,7

Synthesis of experience with urine as fertilizer for different crops in West AfricaSource: CREPA (2006)

Initiatives on productive sanitation

Pilot projects with

CREPA and EcoSanRes:

• Capacity building• Low cost technology • Gardening activities

PPILDA in Niger

Project for the Promotion of Local Development Initiative in Aguié

1. Main interest (CPM,Project manager): Access to fertilizers.

2. Farmers with limited income.

3. Discussion/Negotiation process with local experts (CREPA Niger).

4. Farmers ownership of technologies and scaling up.

5. The project is developing activities in close collaboration with the youth group trained by the project.

6. Agreement to start a pilot project for one crop season in 5 villages.

IFAD’s initiative on productive sanitation

Bougouzaoua (Niger)

Gardening

School Latrines

School

Solar Water Supply SystemsWater Tank

Agricultural Fields

(Eg. : Millet,

Sorghum)Area of defecation

Water Pump

Mauritania PACDM Phase 2Maghama Improved Flood Recession Farming Project Phase II

1. Main interests : Access to fertilizers to support the Farm Field School component.

2. The price of fertilizers in Mauritania (Multiplied by 4).3. No capacity at national/local level (request form the Director of the

Sanitation Department at Ministry level). 4. Adapted technologies and farmers ownership of technologies and

scaling up.5. The project is developing activities in close collaboration with women

trained by the Farm Field School.

6. Agreement to start a pilot project for one crop season in 5 villages.

IFAD’s initiative on productive sanitation

Source of the cartoon: WSP

Issues

• Understanding the cultural perception.

“Behavior question”• National policy &

legislative requirement.• Reinforce institutional

capacities to provide specialized support to Productive Sanitation Systems.

Picture from Linus Dagerskog (SEI/CREPA)

Opportunities to scale up

• More elaborated urine diverting latrines in the 2nd phase.(The “Sanitation crisis”)

• Increase the demand in project areas (Agricultural related activities, Value chain, Agri business)

• Business opportunities for small scale operators.

• Build capacities at stakeholder level.

Thank you!!!