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,1',9,'8$/¶63(5&(37,21$1' THE POTENTIAL OF URINE AS A FERTILISER IN ETHEKWINI, SOUTH AFRICA By Natalie Benoit November 2012 Submitted as the dissertation component in partial fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Masters of Development Studies, in the Graduate Programme in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, Durban, South Africa. As the candidate's supervisor I have/have not approved this thesis/dissertation for submission. Date: Name: Signed: A BST R A C T Climate change, environmental degradation and unsustainable consumption of UHVRXUFHV DUH LQFUHDVLQJO\ SXWWLQJ D VWUDLQ RQ WKH (DUWK¶V QDWXUDO ZHDOWK 0RUH VXVWDLQDEOH sanitation behaviour such as maximising the use of urine diversion dry toilets (UDDT) can help alleviate the strain on water resources. Urine could be used as a fertiliser as it contains nitrogen and phosphorus, important components required for the soil. Furthermore, with urine as a fertiliser, it would now be free, accessible to all and decrease the need to mine phosphate. This research explores the perceptions and knowledge of farmers in the eThekwini municipality about urine and its use in agriculture. It seeks to understand if this practice is socially acceptable in order to contribute to the debate of food security. To investigate the attitudes towards urine, 12 interviews were conducted with farmers who consult with the Umbumbulu Agri-Hub and at the Newlands Mashu Permaculture Learning Centre (NMPLC). These interviews were done in order to find out their views of urine and its possibility on integrating ecological sanitation, more specifically urine reuse in their programmes. $FFRUGLQJWR$M]HQ¶V(1991) theory of planned behaviour as a framework the findings suggest that: LQGLYLGXDOV¶ and others self-perception and non-motivational factors such as smell and lack of training remain barriers to usage as well as lack of knowledge about its potential for fertilising capabilities. In Zulu culture urine is utilised in various ways and is deemed acceptable for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Nonetheless, there seems to be a negative perception of urine amongst most respondents. However, many farmers expressed curiosity towards the use of urine in agriculture if not for themselves then for future generations. This would allow an important role for organisations such as the Agri-Hub and NMPLC to aid in disseminating the knowledge concerning urine reuse in agriculture. ii D E C L A R A T I O N - PL A G I A RISM I, Natalie Benoit declare that 1. The research reported in this thesis, except where otherwise indicated, is my original research under the supervision of Professor Dianne Scott. 2. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. 3. 7KLVWKHVLVGRHVQRWFRQWDLQRWKHUSHUVRQV¶GDWDSLFWXUHVJUDSKVRURWKHULQIRUPDWLRQ unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other persons. 4. This thesis does not contain other persons' writing, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted, then: a) Their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced b) Where their exact words have been used, then their writing has been placed in italics and inside quotation marks, and referenced. 5. This thesis does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the Internet, unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the thesis and in the References sections. Signed «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« iii ACRONYMNS AND ABBREVIATIONS AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome CBD Central Business District EcoSan Ecological Sanitation EWS eThekwini Water and Sanitation FAO Food and Agriculture Organization HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus IMS Infrastructure Management & Socioeconomic KZN KwaZulu-Natal LDC Less Developed Country MDC More Developed Country NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NMPLC Newlands Mashu Permaculture Learning Centre NPK Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus TB Tuberculosis TPB Theory of Planned Behaviour UDDT Urine Diversion Dry Toilets WHO World Health Organisation iv TABLE OF CONTENTS $EVWUDFW««««««.............................................................................................................ii Declaration-Plagiarism..............................................................................................................iii Acronyms and Abbreviations..««........................................................................................iv Table of Contents........................................................................................................................v TDEOHVDQG)LJXUHV««..........................................................................................................vii Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................viii Chapter I: BDFNJURXQGRI(FRORJLFDO6DQLWDWLRQ««««««««««««««««« 1.1. Introduction: Closing the Loop on Sanitation......................................................................1 1.2. How UDDT have been Integrated in the Context of the eThekwini Municipality«««..3 1.3*XLGHOLQHVWR8ULQH5HXVHIRU$JULFXOWXUDO$SSOLFDWLRQ«««««««.................4 1.4. How Urine would Influence Phosphorus & Water Consumption........................................5 1.5. Structure of the Thesis............................................ .............................................«««...7 &KDSWHU,,/LWHUDWXUH5HYLHZ8ULQHDQG6DQLWDWLRQ««««««««««««««« 2.1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................9 2.2. The Urine Market through History......................................................................................9 2.3. Urine in Agriculture: Past and Present...............................................................................11 2.4. A Short History of Sanitation and Human waste in Durban..............................................12 2.5. Alternative Sanitation Systems and How They Function..................................................13 2.6. Receptivity Issues with Alternative Sanitation Technology..............................................15 2.7. Contemporary Introduction to Ecological Sanitation........................................................16 2.7.1. The Enthusiast (Burkina Faso, Niger and Nepal) ..........................................................16 2.7.2. The Ambivalent (Ghana and Turkey) ............................................................................19 2.7.3. The Pessimist (Pakistan) ................................................................................................21 2.8:KHUHGRHV6RXWK$IULFD¶V3HUFHSWLRQof Urine compare.................................................23 2.9. Application of the Theoretical Framework........................................................................25 2.10. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................26 &KDSWHU,,,0HWKRGRORJ\««««««««««««««««««««««««« 3.1. Introduction............................................ ...........................................................................28 3.2. Constructivist Approach in Qualitative Research..............................................................29 3.3. Study Area and Sample selection.......................................................................................29 3.4. Process of Data Collection & Sample Characteristics.......................................................30 3.5. Analysis............................................ ........................................... .....................................33 3.6. Limitations............................................ ............................................................................34 3.7. Conclusion........................... .............................................................................................35 &KDSWHU,9)DUPHUV$WWLWXGHVDQG([SHULHQFHVRI8ULQH««««««««««««. 4.1. Introduction........................................................................................................................36 4.2. Farming Background and Knowledge...............................................................................36 4.3. Traditional Uses of Urine...................................................................................................38 4.4. Attitudes of Farmers...........................................................................................................39 4.4.1. Perception of Urine.........................................................................................................40 4.4.2. Perception of Urine in Agriculture..................................................................................40 v 4.4.2.a. Negative Views............................................................................................................42 4.4.2.b. Positive Views..............................................................................................................42 4.4.2.c. Issues of Blood............................................ ................................................................43 4.5. Subjective Norms...............................................................................................................45 4.5.1. Knowledge of