Natural Fertilizer

Efforts in the last decade to re-link urine with agriculture have been backed by sounder science, and particular attention to hygiene. Urine poses negligible health risks. By replacing mineral fertilizer with urine, farmers also can slightly offset their carbon footprint, and reduce the need for phosphorous found in reserves that are being depleted.

Dhan Bahadur Basnet, SDS social mobilizer and the first to test claims of the profitability of urine in Sotang, started with spinach. The spinach grew faster and greener, and when cooked, tasted softer and more flavorful. Then he tried it on tomatoes, an uncommon fruit in the village, selling up to $460 U.S. dollars worth, or double the average annual income in Sotang – in one season alone.

 Scientific American: Farmers in Nepal Use Urine to Boost Crop Yields