Nourishing the land

Omar Salimo holding lettuces grown with the contents of composting latrines.

Credit: WaterAid / Thérèse Mahon

ESTAMOS, WaterAid Mozambique's largest partner, was recently awarded the Mozambican Development Prize in recognition of the impact of their work in the remote Niassa Province. One groundbreaking aspect of ESTAMOS' work has been the successful promotion of composting latrines.

When the farmers of Matamangwe village, in Northern Mozambique, heard that improved sanitation could also help them transform their crops they were eager to find out more. WaterAid's partner, Estamos, had approached the villagers to introduce composting latrines as one of the sanitation options they could choose for their families.

Estamos initially built 20 trial latrines for the village. The permanent version of these latrines has two pits. Users add soil and ash after each use to help dry the contents, and once the first pit is full, it is covered and left to compost while the second pit is used. Then the first is dug out and the rich compost used for crops and the process is repeated.

Omar Salima, a member of the local farmers co-operative, talks enthusiastically about how the compost has improved their harvest.

"The compost produced has increased our yields and is producing better quality crops. Now we not only have enough food for ourselves but we have extra crops to sell. Maize, lettuce and peppers do best - they don't just wait (in the ground) they shoot up just like that!" Omar goes on to say, "In the past we had to buy artificial fertiliser and we could only afford to open a small field - just three hectares. Now we are able to farm 13 hectares."

Omar Salimo tends his crops grown using compost from latrines.

Credit: WaterAid / Thérèse Mahon

The effectiveness of the compost is evident to Omar and the other farmers. In places where the compost has been applied, lush green leaves of maize and lettuce vividly spring from the soil.

In places where the compost has not been applied the crops are a much paler green and not of the same high quality.

The organic compost produced by the farmers and their families not only saves them money but is also more effective and kinder to the land. The compost retains water better and helps build the soil instead of depleting it of its texture and nutrients, as artificial fertilisers do.

Furthermore, these latrines provides a permanent, safe and hygienic toilet system. When a traditional latrine is full, the owner must start from scratch and dig a new latrine.

"This design provides a secure and permanent latrine," says Matamangwe resident Joaquim Ajibo. "There are no flies and no smell and the incidences of diarrhoea in my family have dropped dramatically."

As well as generating enough funds to build more latrines, the sale of crops has enabled the villagers to buy clothing and school materials for their children. The community has also spent some of the funds on increasing the number of wells that provide safe, clean water to the villagers.