Reuse of Wastewater for Agriculture

The Hyderabad Declaration on Wastewater Use in Agriculture 14 November 2002, Hyderabad, India

1. Rapid urbanization places immense pressure on the world's fragile and dwindling fresh water resources and over-burdened sanitation systems, leading to environmental degradation. We as water, health, environment, agriculture, and aquaculture researchers and practitioners from 27 international and national institutions, representing experiences in wastewater management from 18 countries, recognize that:

   1.1	Wastewater (raw, diluted or treated) is a resource of increasing global importance, particularly in urban and peri-urban agriculture
   1.2	With proper management, wastewater use contributes significantly to sustaining livelihoods, food security and the quality of the environment
   1.3	Without proper management, wastewater use poses serious risks to human health and the environment.

   
   
2. We declare that in order to enhance the positive outcomes while minimizing the risks of wastewater use, there exist feasible and sound measures that need to be applied. These measures include:

   2.1	Cost-effective and appropriate treatment suited to the end use of wastewater, supplemented by guidelines and their application
   2.2	Where wastewater is insufficiently treated, until treatment becomes feasible: (a) Development and application of guidelines for untreated wastewater use that safeguard livelihoods, public health and the environment (b) Application of appropriate irrigation, agricultural, post-harvest, and public health practices that limit risks to farming communities, vendors, and consumers (c) Education and awareness programs for all stakeholders, including the public at large, to disseminate these measures
   2.3	Health, agriculture and environmental quality guidelines that are linked and implemented in a step-wise approach
   2.4	Reduction of toxic contaminants in wastewater, at source and by improved management.

   
   
3. We also declare that:

   3.1	Knowledge needs should be addressed through research to support the measures outlined above
   3.2	Institutional coordination and integration together with increased financial allocations are required.

   
   
4. Therefore, we strongly urge policy-makers and authorities in the fields of water, agriculture, aquaculture, health, environment and urban planning, as well as donors and the private sector to: Safeguard and strengthen livelihoods and food security, mitigate health and environmental risks and conserve water resources by confronting the realities of wastewater use in agriculture through the adoption of appropriate policies and the commitment of financial resources for policy implementation.

Background to The Hyderabad Declaration on Wastewater Use in Agriculture

The use of urban wastewater in agriculture is a centuries old practice that is receiving renewed attention with the increasing scarcity of fresh water resources in many arid and semi-arid regions. Driven by rapid urbanization and growing wastewater volumes, wastewater is widely used as a low-cost alternative to conventional irrigation water; it supports livelihoods and generates considerable value in urban and peri-urban agriculture despite the health and environmental risks associated with this practice. Though pervasive, this practice is largely unregulated in low-income countries, and the costs and benefits are poorly understood.

The Hyderabad Declaration on Wastewater Use in Agriculture is a result of a workshop entitled "Wastewater Use in Irrigated Agriculture: Confronting the Livelihood and Environmental Realities" held 11-14 November 2002 in Hyderabad, India and sponsored by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI, based in Colombo, Sri Lanka) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC, based in Ottawa, Canada). The workshop had the following objectives:

• To critically review experience worldwide in the use of wastewater for agriculture
• To present lessons learned from specific field-based case studies, including the environmental and health impacts and risks of wastewater use in agriculture
• To refine a methodology developed and applied by IWMI for selected countries that seeks to assess the global extent of wastewater use in agriculture
• To evaluate the institutional arrangements, constraints, and policy implications for sustained livelihoods based on wastewater use in agriculture
• To build a wastewater "community of practice" integrating a variety of research, implementation and policy institutions and partners.

In the 14 November 2002 plenary session of the workshop, The Hyderabad Declaration on Wastewater Use in Agriculture was adopted by the following:

Signatories to The Hyderabad Declaration on Wastewater Use in Agriculture