Farmers’ Perception, Willingness and Capacity in Utilization of Household Sewage Sludge as Organic Resources for Peri-Urban Agriculture around Jos Nigeria

Authors: C. C. Alamanjo, A. O. Adepoju, H. Martin, R. N. Baines

Abstract:

Peri-urban agriculture in Jos Nigeria serves as a major means of livelihood for both urban and peri-urban poor, and constitutes huge commercial inclination with a target market that has spanned beyond Plateau State. Yet, the sustainability of this sector is threatened by intensive application of urban refuse ash contaminated with heavy metals, as a result of the highly heterogeneous materials used in ash production. Hence, this research aimed to understand the current fertilizer employed by farmers, their perception and acceptability in utilization of household sewage sludge for agricultural purposes and their capacity in mitigating risks associated with such practice. Mixed methods approach was adopted, and data collection tools used include survey questionnaire, focus group discussion with farmers, participants and field observation. The study identified that farmers maintain a complex mixture of organic and chemical fertilizers, with mixture composition that is dependent on fertilizer availability and affordability. Also, farmers have decreased the rate of utilization of urban refuse ash due to labor and increased logistic cost and are keen to utilize household sewage sludge for soil fertility improvement but are mainly constrained by accessibility of this waste product. Nevertheless, farmers near to sewage disposal points have commenced utilization of household sewage sludge for improving soil fertility. Farmers were knowledgeable on composting but find their strategic method of dewatering and sun drying more convenient. Irrigation farmers were not enthusiastic for treatment, as they desired both water and sludge. Secondly, household sewage sludge observed in the field is heterogeneous due to nearness between its disposal point and that of urban refuse, which raises concern for possible cross-contamination of pollutants and also portrays lack of extension guidance as regards to treatment and management of household sewage sludge for agricultural purposes. Hence, farmers concerns need to be addressed, particularly in providing extension advice and establishment of decentralized household sewage sludge collection centers, for continuous availability of liquid and concentrated sludge. Urgent need is also required for the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase commitment towards empowering her subsidiaries for efficient discharge of corporate responsibilities.

Keywords: Ash, farmers, household, peri-urban, refuse, sewage, sludge, urban.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3298671

References:

[1] Hubert, D., Laurent, P., Paule, M., Bon, H., Parrot, L. & Moustier, P. (2010). Review article Sustainable urban agriculture in developing countries. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 30, pp.21–32.
[2] Özyazici, M. A. (2012). Effects of sewage sludge on the yield of plants in the rotation system of wheat-white head cabbage-tomato. 55(2), pp.35–43.
[3] Cieślik, B. M., Namieśnik, J. & Konieczka, P. (2015). Review of sewage sludge management: standards, regulations and analytical methods. Journal of Cleaner Production, 90, pp.1–15.
[4] Ensink, J., Hoek, W., Matsuno, Y., Munir, S., & Aslam, M. (2002). Use of Untreated Wastewater in Peri-Urban Agriculture in Pakistan: Risks and Opportunities, US EPA, (1994). Land Application of Sewage Sludge. Federal Register, (Online). Available @:http://water.epa.gov.akadns.net/polwaste/wastewater/treatment/biosolids/upload/2002_06_28_mtb_biosolids_sludge.pdf%5Cnhttp://water.epa.gov/polwaste/ wastewater/treatment/biosolids/upload/2002_06_28_mtb_biosolids_sludge.pdf. (Assessed on 20th February, 2017).
[5] Usman, K., Khan, S., Ghulam, S., Khan, M., Khan, N., Khan, M. & Khalil, S. (2012). Sewage Sludge: An Important Biological Resource for Sustainable Agriculture and Its Environmental Implications. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 3(12), pp.1708–1721.
[6] Aggelides, S. M. & Londra, P. A. (2000). Effects of compost produced from town wastes and sewage sludge on the physical properties of a loamy and a clay soil. Bioresource Technology 71:253-259.
[7] Pascual, J., Ayuso, M., Garcia, C. & Herna´ndez T. (1997). Characterization of urban wastes according to fertility and phytotoxicity parameters. Waste Management and Research, 15(1), pp.103–112.
[8] Alvarez, E., Mochon, M., Sanchez, J. &. Rodriguez, M. (2002). Heavy Metal Extractable Forms in Sludge from Waste Treatment Plants, Chemosphere, Vol. 47, No. 7, 765-775.
[9] Ilo, R. (1982). Land application of sewage sludge in agricultural land in Nigeria with special reference to Enugu. PhD Dissertation, University of Oklahoma Graduate College. 1-273.
[10] Adesogan, S. (2013). Sewage Technology in Nigeria: A Pragmatic Approach.
[11] Porter, G., Harris, F., Lyon, F., Dung, J. & Adepetu, A. (2003). Markets, ethnicity and environment in a vulnerable landscape: The case of small-scale vegetable production on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria, 1991-2001. Geographical Journal, 169(4), pp.370–381.
[12] Alexander M. J (1996). The effectiveness of small-scale irrigated agriculture in the reclamation of mine land soils on the Jos Plateau of Nigeria Land Degradation & Development 777–85.
[13] Pasquini, M. (2002). Soil fertility management strategies in irrigated peri-urban agriculture around Jos, Nigeria; An interdisciplinary approach. (Online) Available @:http://search.proquest.com/docview/301570779?accountid=10906%5Cnhttp://zsfx.lib.iastate.edu:3410/sfxlcl41?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&genre=dissertations+%26+theses&sid=ProQ:ProQuest+Dissertations+%26+Theses+Global&at. (Assessed 20th February, 2017).
[14] Plateau State Government, (2016). Official website. (Online) Available @: http://www.plateaustate.gov.ng/page/the-people (Accessed 17th of February 2017).
[15] Alford, M. T., Hill, I. D., Rackham, L. J. and Tuley, P. (1979). The Jos Plateau-A survey of environment and land use (Morgan, W. T. W. ed.). Occasional Publications (New Series) No 14. Department of Geography, University of Durham, Durham, U.K.
[16] James, D. G. & Edafetano C. A. (2010). The Role of Geosciences in Sustainable Development of an Expanding Urban Region: A Case Study of the Jos–Bukuru Urban Region, North Central Nigeria. The Pacific Journal of Science and Technology, 11(2): 664-670.
[17] Adepetu A. A. (1985). ‘Farmers and their farms on four fadamas on Jos Plateau’, Jos Plateau Environmental Resources Development Programme, Interim Report No. 2, Department of Geography, University of Durham, and Department of Geography and Planning, University of Jos, Nigeria.
[18] Johnson, R. B. & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational research, 33(7): 14-26.
[19] Greene, J. C. (2007). Mixed methods in social inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
[20] Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approach, 3rd edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
[21] Bob mathews & Liz Ross, (2010). Research Methods: A practical guide for the social sciences. Longman publication.
[22] Pasquini, M. W. & Alexander, M. J. (2004). Chemical properties of urban waste ash produced by open burning on the Jos Plateau: Implications for agriculture. Science of the Total Environment, 319(1–3), pp.225–240.
[23] Anon, (2013). Country Programming Framework for Federal Republic of Nigeria: Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.