Day 3. Resources and partnership for action toward large scale implementation of sustainable sanitation in Africa (NETSSAF 2)

Session E: Technical and research development

"In this end of this first phase of NETSSAF project, efforts and results reached so far are greeted rightly. It is thus necessary to go forwards on actions, and that´s the great challenge. NETSSAF, the European commission and African authorities and their communities will have above all to count on the partnerships, the local development of the capacities and on the dialogue between the various beneficiaries of sanitation equipments. We thus expect from the representations of Prof. Hakan Jönsson of the Agricultural University of Sciences of Sweden (SLU) and Mr. Soren Rud of the GTZ, selected examples of sanitation in Africa, Asia and Europe putting forward the elements which contribute to the success or the failure of the projects in sanitation all over the world".

During the absence of some presenters the schedule of session E included following five presentations:

 

• Use of excreta nutrients – Opportunities and knowledge gaps (H. Jönsson, SLU)
• Ecological sanitation – selected example projects from Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Europe (S. Rüd, GTZ)
• Alternative use of wastewater for biomass production (M. Hänel, TTZ)
• Agro Re-use of composted human faecal materials for productive sanitation systems (P. Ogwo)
• Peepoobag – Self sanitising single use biodegradable toilet (H. Jönsson, SLU)

 

In the first presentation Håkan Jönsson highlighted that underweight would be a risk factor, which is twice as big compared to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene, when the global risk for disease and premature death is concerned. Therefore it would be of upmost importance that not only the sanitation side of ecological sanitation projects is considered important, but as well the re-use component is seen and targeted. The nutrients, part of faecal matter and urine, need to be recycled to safeguard the soil fertility and contribute on this way to the achievement of the MDGs. Moreover there is evidence that this could create some kind of business for the poor, since the demand for recyclable material would have to be satisfied and no market has established yet.

Rüd Sören (GTZ) gave an explicit overview about the GTZ experience with ecological sanitation projects. He showed series of pictures and project details of projects implemented in Rwanda, Kenya, Burkina Faso, India, Philippines and Germany. The variety of implemented technologies covered both, water supply and sanitation infrastructure and was completed with sensitisation and awareness raising campaigns.

After lunch Mirko Hänel (TTZ) presented examples of so called Short-Rotation-Plantations. These plantations, used for the growth of trees for energy production, would suit as areas for the reuse of wastewater and sewage sludge for irrigation and fertilisation. This could result in a 3 times increased efficiency of biomass production combined with a decreased need for artificial fertilizer and reduced costs for conventional wastewater treatment systems. Moreover this would be an opportunity to locally produce renewable biomass, which would establish biomass supply chains for the power supply.

Mr. Ogwo briefly presented his Nigerian experience about the agrarian re-use of composted human faecal materials for productive sanitation systems. In his experiments faecal material was collected, mixed with wood chips and lime and used for soil fertilization.

In his second appearance Håkan Jönsson presented the "Peepoo Bag", a device for resource-oriented open defecation. These bags, filled after a single use, would be self sanitizing and biodegradable, allowing producing enriched fertilizer from human excreta even at place where no sanitation facilities would be accessible/available. These bags, durable for 4 weeks, would be almost odourless and could be a reasonable supplement to public toilets (during night time) or in emergency situations.

Use of excreta nutrients - opportunities and knowledge gaps

Prof. Hakan Jönsson

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweeden

 

Alternative use of wastewater for biomass production

Mr. Mirko Hänel

ttz Bremerhaven, Germany

Ecological sanitation - selected example projects from Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Europe

Mr. Sören Rüd

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Germany

 

Agro reuse of composted human faecal material for productive sanitation systems

Mr. Patrick A. Ogwo

Dept. of Environmental Resource Magt., Abia State University, Uturu

 

PeePoobag - self sanitising single use biodegradable toilet

Prof. Hakan Jönsson

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden