In collaboration with University of Greenwich Centre for Transformative and Global Justice, the Centre for Field Learning and EKO Consulting.

Join an engaging international webinar series exploring innovative approaches to justice, ecology, and social change, spanning topics from urban wastewater use in agriculture and whale ecology, to blended finance in health and the rise of mediation in India.

Hosted in collaboration by the Centre for Field Learning, the Centre for Transformative and Global Justice at University of Greenwich, and Eko Consulting, this series brings together leading scholars and practitioners to share ground-level insights and practical frameworks for meaningful, transformative action.

Webinars will be held 12-1pm UK time, attendees will be sent the online link before the webinar.

Programme:

Topic — A Case for Using Urban Wastewater for Agriculture

Speakers: Alka Palrecha and Prof. Alka Parikh

Alka Palrecha, founder member and director of People in Centre, leads the thematic area of ‘Restructuring Human Interventions for Ecological Balance’. She coordinates projects related to natural resource management, water management, wastewater use, rainwater harvesting, coastal salinity, and environmental planning.

Prof Alka Parikh is the Founding Director of Centre for Field Learning. The Centre is based on the premise that the research in social sciences should be informed by field level investigations and observations. The Centre believes in open access publications only. Prof Parikh has done her PhD from Cornell University, USA and is a gold medalist from Mumbai University.

Abstract

This paper presents a case for using the urban wastewater in agriculture for irrigation and fertilization. Such use helps increase the fresh water supply, as its demand for irrigation decreases. Wastewater, treated or untreated, is used beneficially for agriculture even today. Studies have shown that irrigation with groundwater yields lesser productivity compared to using wastewater for irrigation. The economic benefits to the farmers are substantial. Also, releasing the wastewater, even when treated, in the freshwater bodies harm the purity of that water. Land has mechanisms to absorb the faeces of land animals while water does not have that ability.

It is recommended that policy frameworks should recognize and integrate wastewater irrigation into water management strategies, invest in low-cost treatment systems, and support farmers with institutional arrangements that maximize benefits while minimizing risks.

Time: 7:00 am EST

Free!

Registration