Nitrified Human Urine as a Sustainable and Socially Acceptable Fertilizer: An Analysis of Consumer Acceptance in Msunduzi, South Africa

Abstract

Sustainable smallholder farming is contingent on fertilizer access. Soils across Africa are typically nutrient deficient, a condition exacerbated by long-term nutrient mining. Nitrified urine fertilizer is a nutrient-rich and hygienically safe solution derived from human urine. It has the potential to provide a sustainable source of soil nutrients to low and middle-income countries struggling with food insecurity challenges. This study presents findings of a survey that assessed public acceptance within Msunduzi, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa towards the use of nitrified urine fertilizer. Results indicate that in general attitudes were much more positive towards the use of nitrified urine fertilizer than raw urine as a soil amendment. Residents living within rural zones of the municipality (78.5%), as opposed to urban (65.7%) and peri-urban (65.2%), and younger individuals within the sampled population were found to be the most receptive to the use of nitrified urine fertilizer. Our findings also underscore the complex set of factors that shape attitudes towards a topic such as the use of human waste as a fertilizer, which are crucial in shaping the legitimacy of an emerging technology such as urine nitrification.

Indigenous Knowledge and Acceptability of Treated Effluent in Agriculture

“…Younger respondents and those who resided in rural parts of the municipality were "most receptive to the use of nitrified urine fertilizer" compared to their older and urban counterparts. Unlike previous studies, which advanced religion and culture as underpinning factors for the acceptability of the use of nitrified urine fertilizer [3,33,36,37], the study by Wilde et al [35] found that respondents distrusted the technology involved in the treatment process. The authors, therefore, concur with the view that "behavior towards sanitation and excrement is a complex interaction between individual and societal norms and is often not based on scientific logic or knowledge" [35].…”

“…In a study by Mariwah and Drangert [28], it was noted that 97% of the participants were of the view that human excreta possess health risks. Another concern in South Africa is about the possible presence of menstrual blood in urine and the transmission of HIV/AIDS through urine [36].…”

“…Studies that have examined the social acceptability of human excreta in agriculture sometimes point to the notion that indigenous beliefs and cultural practices oppose close contact with human excreta [34,36,39,61]. These studies argue that cultural intolerance of close contact with human excreta is a key barrier to reusing human excreta in agriculture.…”

What Do Romanian Farmers Think about the Effects of Pesticides? Perceptions and Willingness to Pay for Bio-Pesticides

“…The other one is represented by consumer contribution in adopting sustainable product options. Most often, convincing consumers to consider sustainable products, such as bio-pesticides or natural fertilizers, requires extended research efforts to understand their needs, motivations, or hindering factors [63][64][65]. Conventional pesticides are considered efficient by 81.7% of interviewed farmers (Table 2), which can become a hindering factor for the transition to bio-pesticides.…”

Nested risks and responsibilities: Perspectives on fertilizer from human urine in two U.S. regions

“…Other site-specific social studies conducted across the globe on urine diversion have emphasized different facets of the complex risks and understandings caught up in both the technological implementation and agricultural reuse of human urine. These have included research with diverse communities such as general public perspectives in South Africa (Wilde et al, 2019); farmers, college students, and consumers in Switzerland (Lienert et al, 2003;Lienert et al, 2006;Pahl-Wostl et al, 2003); and pilot implementations in university settings and villages in Australia (Abeysuriya et al, 2013;Cook et al, 2013). These studies have been focused on behavioral and attitudinal approaches of specific stakeholder groups.…”