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Farmers’ Awareness about Impacts of Reusing Wastewater, Risk Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change in Faisalabad District, Pakistan

Muhammad Tayyab Sohail,Xuanzuo Lin,Liang Lizhi,Muhammad Rizwanullah,Muhammad Nasrullah,Yu Xiuyuan,Zaira Manzoor,R. Elis

Published 2021 in Polish Journal of Environmental Studies

ABSTRACT

Water scarceness is the most critical problem for numerous arid and semi-arid areas. It leads to the use of wastewater in many countries. This study was aimed to determine the farmer’s awareness about reusing wastewater in their risk perception and adaptation to climate change in district Faisalabad, Pakistan. Faisalabad has become an industrial hub and industrial discharge is becoming problematic for local community and environment. Usually, farmers depend on wastewater for agriculture purposes in many aspects. The present study was divided into two phases, in the first phase a questionnairebased study was conducted in urban and peri-urban areas while in the second phase, wastewater quality parameters were determined (pH, SS, TDS, BOD, COD, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc) and compared with Pakistan Environmental Quality Standards. Results indicated that farmers had a strong awareness (96.8%) about fertility value of wastewater for many aspects, but they were unaware (71.6%) about health hazard of untreated wastewater used for crop irrigation. In the current study correlation of Determining of Climate Change (DCC) with age and farming experience was highly significant with correlation values 0.48 and 0.40 respectively. Adaption Measures (AM) correlation values with age and farming experience were 0.49 and 0.75 respectively. Other variables livelihood Assets (LA) was also correlated with Determining of Climate Change (DCC) and Adaption Measures (AM) and all variables were found significant week to moderate correlation among all selected variables. Farmers (>70%) used different techniques to adapt to climate change like irrigation, seeds, DOI: 10.15244/pjoes/134292 ONLINE PUBLICATION DATE: 2021-09-01 *e-mail: tayyabsohail@yahoo.com **e-mail: xuanlin19930522@163.com ***e-mail: 188793258@qq.com Sohail M.T., et al. 4664 Agriculture depends on irrigation [31]. Accessibility of water in 2025 is projected 700m3/capita. In Pakistan, wastewater directly discharged into open water bodies without prior preliminary treatment and the ratio of wastewater treatment is less than 8 percentage [32, 33]. Faisalabad city produced 4.09 m3/s industrial and domestic sewages [10]. This wastewater is disposed into rivers (Ravi and Chenab) without any treatment and became the main source of underground contamination [34]. Farmers use wastewater there as an alternative to canal water [35]. In district Faisalabad, almost 1000 hectares area is being irrigated with wastewater over last 30 years [36, 7]. Pakistan’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change has been cumulative day by day while its contribution to global warming is very less [38]. These days floods, droughts and storms are normal in Pakistan [39], but still there is missing comprehensive policies to deal with such natural disasters [40]. As Pakistan is a developing country, so situation about adaption and vulnerability is not satisfactory and there is very limited research on environmental vulnerability and local-level risk perceptions [41]. The Protection Motivation Theory was used as guiding research on the perspectives of health risks and water conservations [42]. In present age PMT is also used in environmental risks. Climate changes and natural hazards [43]. Regarding climate change these elements are adaption assessment and climate change assessment. Other connecting elements are adaption disincentives/incentives, climate change, subjects’ norms and habits are hypothesized to affect the adaption intent of farmers towards climate change [44]. This research will help policymakers to provide support to farmers in their daily life and farming practices. The objectives of this study were i) to investigate the impact of wastewater reuse on crops in Faisalabad District, Pakistan ii) vulnerability, agricultural importance, and severity of flood damage iii) Framer’s awareness about impacts of reuse wastewater on crops. iv) adaption of different techniques to deal with climate change.

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