Theme 6-1-Drainage and reuse of effluents for agricultural management (DREAM) - a dream project for developing countries.

Abstract

Most of the worlds population live in developing countries where provisions of water and food to the growing population needs to be tackled, before shortage of water and food becomes critical in the near future.

DREAM (Drainage and Reuse of Effluents for Agricultural Management) is a simple and holistic approach to reduce/remove contaminants from effluent to produce clean, useable water for agricultural management, particularly in developing countries and areas where water is scarce. This project may solve both food and water shortage.

The DREAM package combines the concepts of land-based effluent irrigation, intensive cropping/ phytoremediation, water harvesting, permeable reactive barriers, and an artificial recharge of groundwater. Although the components are the same in all DREAM projects, the drainage factors, reactive materials, plant varieties used, will all depend on the quantity and quality of effluent, locally available materials, and local soil type. While the operational area of the DREAM project depends on the availability of land and effluent quantity, its success depends purely on the operators willingness and commitment. For example, this project may suit farmers, with no access to dependable supplies of groundwater or to perennial streams, who can construct small earth dams. Such dams can be used as irrigation during summer, as support for cut flower marketing, and as an artificial recharge of groundwater.

Although this project has not been tested as a complete package, different components have been tested successfully either at laboratory scale or in field situations worldwide. This is the first time this holistic approach has been offered for discussion in an international conference.