In: UA Magazine 10 - Appropriate (Micro) Technologies for Urban Agriculture
The population of Uruguay is highly concentrated, with a proliferation of irregular settlements in cities. An increase in unemployment has forced many people to resort to extreme strategies for their survival and the survival of their families. Informal collection and sale of household waste is one of the more widespread, and is linked to the breeding of pigs within the household. Municipal authorities are reluctant to accept this activity because of the environmental and health risks it implies. However, in order to formulate urban agriculture policies that preserve the health of the population it is important to critically examine this phenomenon, including both its risks and benefits, trying to minimize the former and maximize the latter. Based on this reality, the Veterinary School of Montevideo (Uruguay) developed a series of experiments with the goal of assessing and commercialising technologies for the processing and collection of organic waste used to feed pigs.