Agricultural Valorization of Wastewater in Dschang, West - Cameroon: An Alternative to the Fertilizer Problem and to Good Environmental Management in Urban Areas

Abstract

The agricultural valorization of wastewater has not been part of water resource management and poverty alleviation policies in Cameroon due to insufficient knowledge on its virtues. The aim of this work was to promote sanitation by using wastewater in agriculture in Dschang Municipality, through evaluation of its fertilizing power. The study focused on three selected crops including lettuce (leaf vegetable), eggplant (fruit vegetable) and carrot (root vegetable). The experimental design was a split-plot and composed of nine (09) randomized blocks. The work was done both in the rainy season and in the dry season. Raw wastewater (E1) and urban surface water (E2) were used, while drinking water (E3) aided as control. The plots that received raw wastewater showed the best yields followed by the plots that received urban surface water. Up to 13 tons of lettuce per hectare, 19 tons of carrots per hectare and 61 tons of eggplants per hectare were obtained on the E1 plots. The yields of E1 were 1.5 to 7.4 times higher than those of E3 plots in the rainy season, and 3 to 4.4 times higher in the dry season. The yields of E2 plots were 1.1 to 2.2 times higher than those of E3 in the rainy season and 1.7 to 4.4 times higher in the dry season. These results show the fertilizing power of raw or diluted wastewater. In their poverty alleviation policy, the public authorities of the Dschang Municipality should promote the use of wastewater as fertilizers for crops not consumed raw, as alternative solution to wastewater management in this city.