Andrew Bradford, Robert Brook and Chandra Hunshal

In: UA Magazine 6 - Transition to Ecological Urban Agriculture: A Challenge

In the twin city Hubli-Dharwad, untreated sewage is commonly used for irrigation in peri-urban agriculture. Farmers extract sewage for irrigation from sewage nallahs (open sewers) and underground sewer pipes. In this semi-arid climate the waste water is an extremely valuable resource for farmers, as pumping from sewage nallahs or drains is cheaper than a borehole, which makes the practice more accessible to farmers with fewer financial resources. It also provides an irrigation source during the dry season, when farmers can sell their produce for three to five times the kharif (monsoon) season prices. However, Unregulated and continuous irrigation with sewage may lead to environmental problems and poses serious public health risks. The adoption of certain micro technologies can reduce the risks faced by farmers who have irrigated with sewage.