Management and treatment of urban wastewater for irrigation in Rajshahi, Bangladesh - WASPA Asia Project

This paper presents work that was undertaken as part of the Wastewater Agriculture and Sanitation for Poverty Alleviation in Asia project in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The project aimed to develop and test solutions to improve management and treatment of urban wastewater used for irrigation and in doing so improve the livelihoods of the farmers and communities associated with wastewater agriculture. The report details the approach, activities and lessons learnt from the implementation of the project. Local stakeholders, brought together by a Learning Alliance prioritised the needs of the community and proposed and jointly implemented a participatory action plan designed to improve the wastewater management and sanitation issues associated with wastewater use in agriculture. This process resulted in negotiation and agreement between farmers and local government, which led to demand-driven actions being undertaken. While the participatory approach applied requires more time and resources, it builds capacity and ensures more integrated, appropriate and sustainable solutions. It also prompts the stakeholders to take greater responsibility due to an increased sense of ownership. The lessons learnt from the implementation of the project are applicable to other cities around the world.