The use of human waste for peri-urban agriculture in Northern Ghana
The use of human waste for peri-urban agriculture in Northern Ghana
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DOI：
10.1079/raf200491
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发表时间：
2005-06-01
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Drechsel, P
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Cofie, OO;Kranjac-Berisavljevic, G;Drechsel, P
在加纳，关于使用有机材料提高土壤生产力的研究侧重于作物残留物管理、使用绿色肥料和动物肥料以及豆科作物覆盖种植。很少有研究评估人类排泄物在农业中的使用情况，尽管这在该国北方地区的农民中很普遍。本研究旨在调查加纳几内亚大草原农业生态区塔马利和博尔加坦加市利用粪便污泥进行作物生产的利益相关者。目的是确定这种做法的驱动因素、制约因素和潜力。在90名使用FS的农民中进行了实地调查和焦点小组讨论，并采访了市政卫生股的官员。64%的受访农民使用FS作为提高土壤肥力和增加玉米和高粱产量的成本效益高的方法。污泥通过将其散布在土壤表面而排放，或者在旱季将其储存在坑中并干燥，并在雨季开始时与土壤结合。热带草原气候的高温和长时间的干燥使污泥易于处理。虽然这种处理被认为可以减少干污泥中的病原体数量，但22%的农民抱怨在使用FS工作后脚痒和脚腐烂，这是在没有穿保护性脚覆盖物的情况下完成的。这一制约因素与恶臭、运输问题和公众对农业使用人类粪便的嘲笑相结合。尽管存在这些问题，但由于使用森林服务所带来的好处，农民之间存在着争夺森林服务的竞争。当局须作进一步调查，以确定脚痒及腐脚的成因，并须教育员工在与财政司司长工作时，如何正确处理有关问题及采取适当的卫生习惯。还需要关于最佳FS应用率的信息。
In Ghana, studies on the use of organic materials to increase soil productivity have focused on crop-residue management, use of green and animal manures, and legume cover cropping. Few studies have assessed the use of human waste for agriculture, even though this is widely practiced by farmers in the northern part of the country. This study was carried out to investigate the stakeholders in the use of faecal sludge (FS) for crop production in Tamale and Bolgatanga municipalities in the guinea savanna agroecological zone of Ghana. The aim was to determine the driving factors, constraints and potentials for this practice. Field survey and focus group discussions were carried out among 90 farmers who use FS, and officials of the Municipal Sanitation Unit were interviewed. Sixty-four percent of farmers interviewed used FS as a cost-effective way to improve soil fertility and increase yields of maize and sorghum. Sludge is discharged by spreading it on the soil surface, or it is stored and dried in pits during the dry season and incorporated into the soil at the onset of the rainy season. The high temperatures of the savanna climate and this long period of drying allow sludge to be handled easily. Although this treatment is perceived to reduce the number of pathogens in dried sludge, 22% of farmers complained of itching feet and foot rot after working with FS, which is done without wearing protective foot covering. This constraint is coupled with the foul smell, transport problem and public mockery associated with the use of human waste for agriculture. In spite of these problems, there is competition for FS among farmers, due to benefits derived from its use. Further investigation is required to ascertain the causes of itching feet and foot rot, and there is a need for education on proper handling and appropriate hygiene practices when working with FS. Information regarding optimal FS application rates is also required.