Sustainable Use of Wastewater in Agriculture

Water is an essential resource for agriculture, but harvesting water for irrigation is a major issue for farmers in developing and underdeveloped countries. Wastewater is a promising resource, but with its own challenges. This new volume, Sustainable Use of Wastewater in Agriculture: Applications, Methods, and Technology addresses the challenges of repurposing wastewater in agriculture processes, with a special focus on low- and middle-income regions of the world. Topics include the application of wastewater for irrigation, concerns with wastewater usage, and innovative methods of application of the latest technology, with an emphasis on sustainable solutions to water scarcity in the agriculture sector. The book details the latest and most economical techniques for making wastewater suitable for irrigation purposes. It also looks at the uptake of heavy metals and emerging contaminants by the irrigated crops, soil, etc., from wastewater. The book provides comprehensive reviews on utilizing water generated from rainwater harvesting systems and the use of water quality indices for checking the suitability of a given type of water. Two interesting case studies detail the design and construction of water-lifting devices for irrigation/wastewater and the application of wastewater sludge as biofertilizer. The book also details the Internet of Agribot Things (IoAT) as the latest technology in this domain. Presenting a selection of state-of-the-art reviews and case studies focused on a sustainable solutions to water scarcity faced by millions of farmers the world over through the new and emerging uses of wastewater, this volume will be of value to a wide range of agriculture researchers and practitioners as well as faculty and students specializing in the areas of agricultural engineering, environmental engineering, water treatment, and food and agriculture technology.