Ecological sanitation in North Bihar helps farmers save time and increases yields

Picture 1: Ecosan toilet with mud, straw and bamboo super structure.

Mr Janis Koknevics, a master student in Agricultural Sciences in the tropics and sub tropics from the University of Hohenheim is currently in northern Bihar, India, investigating the sustainability of the ecological sanitation (ecosan) units. The ecosan units are promoted and implemented by Megh Pyne Abhiyan (MPA), a local NGO and associate in SATNET Asia. For this study Mr. Koknevics is visiting 3 districts where MPA works, namely, Paschim (West) Champaran, Saharsa, and Khagaria.

Access to sanitation in rural Bihar is very limited and open defecation is common practice. The state of Bihar is also a flood prone area with over 70% of the total geographical area flood affected. During floods, unsafe sanitation practices contribute to water borne diseases and lead to increased use of land on high ground (i.e. embankments) for open defecation, further exacerbating the conditions in which people are forced to live in.

Picture 2: Inside of ecosan toilet: hole for urine (center), for defecating (with covers) and for cleaning oneself after the toilet (extreme right and left). Ash to apply onto the excreta (right  corner).

The broad technical aspects of the ecosan units, also called “Phaydemand Shauchalay”, meaning beneficial or productive toilet, is to provide a safe structure, separating urine, excreta and wash water. The technology is designed to withstand floods, with a brick/cement base structure, containing 2 excreta chambers, one urine outlet and 2 anal wash water outlets. When one excreta chamber is full, it is sealed and left to decompose over a period of 6 months or more, while the 2^nd excreta chamber is used. Urine is directly collected in a gallon container, or in a separate chamber fitted with a tap for easy access.

Since arriving in India Mr. Koknevics has met with local water and sanitation experts in Delhi, MPA representatives in Bihar, stakeholders at local government level, local NGO representatives, as well as farmers and ecosan users in the respective districts. Mr. Koknevics conducted questionnaire based face-to-face interviews with ecosan users.

Picture 3: Full brick and cement structure in Rupaliya. The drawing painted on the ecosan toilet demonstrates the cycle from defecating to applying urine and humanure to crops.

Ecosan users stated benefits of saving 1 to 2 hours/day by not having to go for open defecation, time which is now used for household (HH) chores, farming, education or relaxing. Safety of the family was also mentioned as both a benefit and reason for adoption of the ecosan toilet. The use of urine as a fertilizer has been positively received in the village, with farmers observing greener crops and higher yields through individual experiments at HH level by applying urine to some crops and chemical fertilizers to others. Use of urine has led farmers purchasing less urea (1-2 bags) and these savings being used for purchasing clothes and other HH utensils. The use and application of humanure (decomposed human excreta) was not yet commonly adopted in all villages. However, one respondent stated using humanure in his fields and observed “greener crops and no issues with insects”.

The main maintenance issue that was observed and identified by a majority of respondents was the presence of worms in the excreta chambers, with respondents stating children having difficulties with urinating and defecating separately and water entering the excreta chamber accidentally when washing oneself. In one village, respondents reported missing or broken gas pipes (meant for evacuating smell from the excreta chambers), urine taps missing or broken and one HH had no roof for the toilet

Mr. Koknevics looks forward to providing more detailed information by the end of his stay in Bihar.