NUFSOC

The project seeks to continue testing the potential of a nitrification technology, designed and tested at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), which serves as a sustainably sourced natural fertilizer to close the agricultural nutrient cycle through the separation and biological processing of N- and P-​rich urine. The project aims to quantify the biophysical and social implications of using processed human urine as a natural fertilizer for agricultural cropping systems.

Rapidly growing informal settlements in and around urban centers such as Durban, South Africa currently face major development crises, two of which are the inadequate provision of basic sanitation and chronic food insecurity. Although traditionally viewed as distinct matters to be solved with disparate solutions, there is growing awareness that technologies designed to close the nutrient loop offer a means to simultaneously improve both issues. These changing perspectives have been shaped primarily by two factors: the dire need to identify alternative sources of N and P; and the advancement of sanitation technologies that can safely and efficiently manage human excreta. In particular, a system designed and tested at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), shows great promise as an ecologically sustainable, hygienically safe, and socially equitable alternative to traditional sanitation management that can, through the separation and biological processing of N- and P-​rich urine (hereafter referred to as urine concentrate), serve as a sustainably sourced natural fertilizer to close the agricultural nutrient cycle. This project will seek to continue testing the potential of this nitrification technology. By conducting a trans‐disciplinary, solutions-​-‐oriented research project, this proposal will quantify both the biophysical and social implications of using processed human urine as a natural fertilizer for agricultural cropping systems. To accomplish this objective, our research will focus on four work packages designed to fill gaps in the current state of this research: a biophysical field experiment to quantify the ecological implications of this amendment; a participatory field trial to elucidate farmer perceptions of this fertilizer; an acceptance survey to understand consumer attitudes of food grown with recycled nutrients; qualitative interviews to view the policy implications, potential, and limitations of this technology to improve the sanitation and food insecurity challenges currently facing our global community.