Food security through better sanitation: the case of urine recycling

Rich in essential nutrients, human urine is a largely untapped resource in our domestic wastewater systems. Yet, if properly treated and reused, it could meet about a quarter of the world's agricultural demand for essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. But the journey from waste to resource is not without its challenges, from technological hurdles to health concerns and cultural taboos. The FoodsecURe project, a four-year collaborative effort involving 17 partners from Norway, Ethiopia and Sweden, is dedicated to changing the way human urine is perceived and used in agriculture. The objectives of the project are as follows: Technological breakthroughs: The project initially focused on developing an alkaline dehydrator to convert liquid urine into solid urine-based fertilizers in accordance with ISO 30500 standards. In response to the need for improved energy efficiency and sustainability, the project shifted to the development of a solar- and wind-powered passive evaporator. This innovative system utilizes renewable energy sources to improve the sustainability and scalability of the urine-to-fertilizer conversion process. Currently, the focus is on completing the evaporator, which is essential before production of the urine-based fertilizers can begin. Ensuring safety: While the production of urine-based fertilizer has not yet begun, the project is establishing protocols for extensive testing with smallholder farmers in Ethiopia to ensure that the final product is safe and effective. This testing will focus on improving crop quality and ensuring the absence of harmful microorganisms, pollutants and pathogens. Cultural acceptance: The project is nearing completion of a baseline survey to assess farmers' willingness to pay for urine-based fertilizers and their preferences. This survey will help gauge the initial perceptions and willingness of the farming community to adopt such innovative products. The project also examines food neophobia - the reluctance to eat food produced by unfamiliar methods - and assesses environmental awareness among farmers to increase acceptance and understanding of this sustainable recycling practice within the farming community. Economic viability: The project will develop sustainable business models to demonstrate the economic benefits and practicality of urine recycling. These models will emphasize the cost savings of using locally sourced urine-based fertilizers instead of chemical alternatives, thereby improving affordability and accessibility for communities. This approach will demonstrate the feasibility of urine recycling and encourage its adoption by showing tangible benefits to agricultural productivity and sustainability once production begins. Collaborative efforts: Strong linkages will be built between scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to ensure that research findings and benefits are widely understood and supported. Policy Analysis and Engagement: The project is mapping and analyzing institutions, agricultural policies, and national hygiene and sanitation strategies in Ethiopia, with a focus on smallholder farmers and women. This analysis will help assess the feasibility of national agricultural policies for the adoption of urine-recycling sanitation systems, with the goal of informing and guiding supportive policy adjustments.

Human urine contains essential nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus) required for plant growth. Hence, urine can serve as a “free” and locally available nutrient source. Successful, low-cost urine-diverting toilets (UDTs) that separately collect urine have been developed in Scandinavia and in Europe and are being manufactured at large-scale in Africa. There exists many barriers to urine recycling at scale. The important initial steps for increased use of urine as a fertilizer (UBF) are to understand the technical, socio-cultural, economic, institutional and ecological aspects that affect large-scale adoption of UDTs, urine treatment technologies, and UBFs; provide evidence-based data that shows urine is safe in terms of heavy metals, pathogens, and organic micropollutants; and identify optimal combinations strategies to sustain adoption in the long term. FoodSecURe will be implemented and will utilize the already existing UDTs in communal public areas in Bahir-Dar, Ethiopia. Due to lack of technology and limited awareness of users, government and institutions, these UDTs were used inappropriately, and no UBF has been produced from the UDTs. The project will be conducted through 6 work packages (WPs): WP0 focuses on the project management. WPs 1-4 focus on identifying the barriers in the adoption of urine recycling based on technology (WP1), health (WP2), socio-culture and environment (WP3), and economic and institutions (WP4). The dissemination, exploitation and communication activities are in WP5. The various tasks are implemented through a multi-disciplinary and multi-actor approach by scientists specializing in social sciences, business management, agronomy, parasitology, environmental engineering, environmental science, and soil science. A Stakeholder Advisory Committee will be created to strengthen science-policy-stakeholder linkages and ensure that the technical and socio-economic solutions identified in the project match the stakeholders’ needs.