The Fifth Regional Workshop on "Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture" took place from 5-7 March in Bali, Indonesia, as part of a project on the same topic.
The project and its regional workshops aim to develop national capacity to promote the safe use of agricultural wastewater in countries in transition and developing countries.
March 2013: The Fifth Regional Workshop on “Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture” took place from 5-7 March in Bali, Indonesia, as part of a project on the same topic. The project and its regional workshops aim to develop national capacity to promote the safe use of agricultural wastewater in countries in transition and developing countries.
Workshop participants presented country reports on the status of wastewater use and capacity needs in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Timor Leste and Viet Nam. Presenters provided country-specific information on: wastewater production and treatment; wastewater use and disposal; regulations and institutions; research and development; and capacity needs, including knowledge and skills. Additional sessions focused on: national strategies and institutional arrangements; health, food production and environment: risk and risk mitigation; economics and institutional arrangements; capacity needs and national strategies and a wrap up session that included a workshop synthesis and closing remarks.
The project aims to build capacity to manage wastewater in recognition of increasing water scarcity and stress from population growth and urbanization. The project focuses on two levels of capacity building: the individual and organization level; and the organization and system level. At its workshops, project participants are trained in different methodologies for managing wastewater in agriculture. Agricultural irrigation represents the greatest regional user of wastewater, according to the project concept note.
The Safe User of Wastewater in Agriculture project will run through May 2013. Previous regional meetings have been held for Francophone and Northern Africa, South, West and Central Asia, Anglophone Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN, the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) and the UN University Institute on Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) serve as the project’s coordinating organizations. [Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture Website] [Workshop Agenda] [Project Concept Note] [UNW-DPC Website]