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Water for a food-secure world
Johannes Paul, PhD
Researcher – Integrated Waste Management
IWMI Headquarter – Colombo, Sri Lanka
IWMI – Resources Recovery and Reuse
From research to uptake
Brief on the ongoing BMZ funded project
‘Research and capacity building for inter-sectorial private
sector engagement for soil rehabilitation’

WLE RRR Flagship
 IWMI Research division
Three activity clusters/subthemes
1. Business opportunities for RRR (e.g. business model development,
feasibility studies, piloting PPP, testing recovered resources, etc.)
2. Safe wastewater use: risk assessment, risk mitigation, economics,
behavior change; with WHO, FAO, UNU, UNEP.
3. Challenges of urbanization for water and land management in urban
and peri-urban areas (e.g. GlobE - UrbanFood+ )
The new BMZ project is mapped under subtheme 1.

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Subtheme 1 - What we did so far:
Analyzing and developing RRR business solutions
• 150+ business cases screened
• 60 cases with in-depth analysis
• 22 business models developed
• Feasibility studies in 10 cities

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RRR Business model catalog in work

Special focus area:
Fecal Sludge Management
(FSM)
Comparison of 18 additional Business Models

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FSM cases as input
(RRR report series in print)

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Previous research by IWMI
Research focus in Ghana from 2000 to date (95 % onsite sanitation);
extended to India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in 2011
– Direct application of urine to soil
– Land application of FS
– Extended storage and drying of FS
– Composting of Feces
– Co-composting of FS and solid waste
– Fortification (blending) of fecal compost with fertilizer
– Agronomic trials (crop and soil response, safety)

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visibility line

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Circular Economy
Switch from Linear supply flows to
Agriculture:
decreasing organic matter, soil
deterioration, decreasing yields,
increasing use of chemical fertilizer
Solid waste management:
predominating waste disposal, lack of
waste treatment options, low quality
of recycling products
Sanitation:
Lack of central sewerage systems,
scattered on-site sanitation systems,
uncontrolled septage collection, lack of
treatment facilities, uncontrolled
disposal of FS from tank cleaning
Main challenges
linking inter-sectorial challenges and capacity building

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Framework of research project
Goal: Increased business thinking and private sector engagement in
RRR to enhance soil health and resilient ecosystem services by
returning organic carbon and nutrients to agricultural used soils in
low-income countries.
Purpose: To develop curricula for innovative RRR technologies and
investment models that transfer organic waste into organic fertilizer for
different soils, crops and climates in South Asia.
Countries involved: Sri Lanka; additionally to facilitate outreach and
investments India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Laos and Myanmar
Target group: Young entrepreneurs, future leaders, practioners
Beneficiaries: Farmers provided with GAP and natural fertilizers

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Main envisioned outcomes
Outcome 1: Technical guidelines for co-
composting and producing safe fecal sludge-
based fertilizer pellets (IWMI, Wayamba)
Outcome 2: Guidelines and Farmers handbook on
safe pellet application (Bochum & Wayamba)
Outcome 3: Country investment briefs, policy
recommendations (ZEF Bonn)
Outcome 4: Curricula for students and RRR
practioners (University Cambridge)
1: Technical research
Main field of activities
2: Verification of soil & crop
responses; fertilizer value
3: Investment climate
analysis
4: Curricula development
Framework of research project
Goal: Increased business thinking and private sector engagement in RRR to enhance
soil health and resilient ecosystem services in peri-urban areas by returning organic
carbon and nutrients to agricultural used soils in low-income countries.

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Outcome 1: Technical research (co-composting, pellets)
• FS treatment, e.g. drying beds
• Verification of suited input materials
• Co-composting (process, quality)
• Pelletization (grinding, binding, enriching)
• clarification fertilizer properties (NPK, pathogens,
organic matter, size, density, pellet strength etc)
• Formulation of production guidelines
FS
SW
FS

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• Testing of various fertilizer mixtures (fertilizer quality,
application properties)
• Testing of various crops (short-, medium, longterm)
• Open field and greenhouse trials
• Trials for various weather/climate conditions
• Farmers perception surveys including gender aspects
• Formulation of application guidelines
Outcome 2: Verification of fertilizer value and safe application

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• Expert consultations (chamber of commerce,
donor and sector organizations, farmer associations)
• Multi-criteria analysis (regulatory framework, legal,
finance, gender, governance RRR market
• Data synthesis & country briefs
Outcome 3: Investment climate analysis
Outcome 4: Curriculum development
• Development of syllabi and curricula
• Selection of suited cases and business models
• Use of research outcomes from activities 1-3
• Testing of curricula & course institutionalization

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Impact pathways

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Many Thanks
for your attention !
Johannes Paul, PhD
Researcher – Integrated Waste Management
IWMI Headquarter – Colombo, Sri Lanka
Phone: (+94) 11 – 288 1339
Skype: johannes.paul.colombo
Fax: (+94) 11 278 6854
Email: J.Paul@cgiar.org