Project

Nutrient Cycling  in Kenya – making it work

LeAF is working on analysis of locally applicable technologies for nutrient recovery from urine from schools – focusing on economic, technical, environmental, social aspects – in Migori County in Kenya. This project is done in cooperation with Center for Regeneration and Empowerment of Africa through Africa (CREATA), Aqua for all and the Plant Production Systems group of Wageningen University & Research.

Recently 18 schools in the Migori County were equipped with urine separation facilities. Our  study will assess the possibilities to use collected  urine as a nutrient source for agricultural purposes. Currently, urine is not used as a fertilizer in Kenya despite its potential to help in the mitigation of poverty and malnutrition, and improve the trade balance of importing chemical fertilizers.

Attempts to introduce urine as alternative fertilizer in the county have faced several challenges: transportation of urine is costly and urine produces malodor.  Furthermore soils in Migori county are often infested by bacterial wilt, which reduces crop yields. 

The sustainability of the following technologies that potentially could improve above mentioned issues will be compared: struvite production (MgNH4PO4x6H2O), use of urine as a liquid fertilizer for hydroponics and use of urine for seedling production We will recommend the most sustainable approach and technology for  nutrient cycling  in schools in Migori, by better  understanding local conditions,    while supporting the local economy.

For more information you can contact Ms Darja Kragic Kok: darja.kragic@wur.nl