Wastewater usage in urban and peri-urban agricultural production systems: scenarios from India
by Prem Jose Vazhacharickal and Sumita Gupta Gangopadhyay
The role urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) plays in reducing urban poverty and ensuring environmental sustainability was recognized by the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs). India is the world’s largest democratic nation with a population of 1.2 billion. The rapid urbanization and high proportion of people below the poverty line along with higher migration to urban areas make India vulnerable to food crisis and urbanization of poverty. Ensuring jobs and food security among urban poor is a major challenge in India. The role of UPA can be well explained and understood in this context. This paper focuses on the current situation of UPA production in India with special attention to wastewater irrigation. This question is being posed about the various human health risks from wastewater irrigation which are faced by farmers and labourers, and, secondly by consumers. The possible health hazards involve microbial pathogens as well as helminth (intestinal parasites). Based on primary and secondary data, this paper attempts to confirm that UPA is one of the best options to address increasing urban food demand. Ensuring jobs and food security among the urban poor is a major challenge in underdeveloped and developing countries. Urban and peri-urban agriculture is one of the best options to address increasing urban food demand and can complement rural supply chains and reduce ecological foot prints. The growing water demands and release of untreated wastewater pose a big challenge to environmental sustainability. Irrigation with wastewater is a reality and common practice in India. However, the possible health risks associated with them should receive attention from the policy makers and stakeholders. An integrated approach with suitable risk reduction mechanism would improve the efficiency and safety of these UPA production systems which can be called “Good practice urban and peri‑urban agriculture”.
Read full research paper at http://fofj.org/index.php/journal/article/view/97
Uniform Resource Name Code urn:nbn:de:hebis:34-2014062645610
Photo credit:- Prem Jose Vazhacharickal
