Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, D: Agriculture and Veterinary, Volume 23 Issue 4

Production of Rape (Brassica Napus L ) Under Diaper Waste-Moisture Conservation Field Technology Chikwanha S. M. α , Tungwarara M. K. σ , Mutibura E. R. ρ , Ncube K. Ѡ & Mazula A. ¥ Abstract- The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of growing vegetables under diaper waste moisture conservation technology and to incentivise diaper waste management in a way which reduces its ecological footprint through water and plant nutrients harvesting and conservation in agriculture. Due to poor refuse collection in Chitungwiza which has encouraged improper disposal of diaper waste, people resorted to the dumping of used disposable diapers at various dumping sites that have sprouted in most residential areas in the urban areas of Zimbabwe. Diaper wastes currently not properly managed in a manner which adds value to the food chain while they contain significant amounts of nutrients coupled with their water holding capacity which is not being utilised to address challenges induced by climate change in the agricultural sector pertaining food security and climate resilience in urban agriculture hence the need to undertake this study. An experiment to compare growth of vegetables under diaper waste treatment and a control without diapers was conducted. Vegetable growth rate and soil moisture loss were monitored over 10 weeks. The results of the study showed that the moisture conservation technology is effective as evidenced by faster vegetable growth rate and relatively low soil moisture loss under the experiment than the control. It was concluded that indeed diaper waste can be used in agriculture as a moisture conservation technology. In line with the research findings the researcher recommended the adoption of the technology at small scale as a pilot project as it has the potential of going a long way in abating challenges due to water scarcity and climate change. I. I ntroduction isposable baby diapers have almost become indispensable in the list of baby care products as their use has been increasing steadily over the years [12]. Although disposable baby diapers were used traditionally for their convenience especially when travelling, nowadays they are generally used in many parts of the developed and developing world as a replacement for cloth diapers. In the developed world approximately between 90% and 95% of diapers used are disposable [23]. In a study done in Ottawa, Canada, disposable diapers were used by 82.3% parents and only 2% used cloth diapers. The developing world is adopting the use of disposal diapers because of their perceived advantages over the cloth diapers. It is therefore apparent that, the advent of disposable diapers has somehow resulted in the death of the napkin culture. [20] Claims that disposable diapers have become highly commoditized as they are regarded as an epitome of modernization. They have in actual fact become a necessity rather than a luxury in fast paced lives. The increased use of disposable diapers is associated with a number of environmental health challenges. The soiled diapers litter public spaces where they are an aesthetic nuisance [2]; [18]. Unlike in the developed countries where the disposal of waste is more developed, with separation at the source, developing countries such as Zimbabwe still use traditional methods of mixing waste and sometimes the diapers are dumped at illegals dumpsites [11]. Attributes this to inefficiencies by local authorities to manage solid waste. The refuse collection and disposal systems are inadequate and it is common to find refuse containing human waste such as disposable diapers mixed with other domestic waste. This negligent disposal of soiled disposable diapers therefore increases the chances of environmental pollution by waste which will otherwise be used in an ecological sustainable manner. It also exposes people who deal with solid waste such as municipal employees and waste scavengers to contaminants which could cause serious illnesses as they may handle raw faecal matter in the process of handling of soiled disposable diapers. The challenge of improper diaper disposal is affecting many towns and cities in the world and Chitungwiza town is not an exception. However, diaper waste can be recycled into scientifically proven use which can contribute significantly in waste management, nutrient recycling and moisture conservation for agricultural use. A model around these elements can be developed to in order to proffer solutions around use of diapers in a more sustainable manner and addressing climate change and irrigation water scarcity problems. Originally, diapers relied on the absorbency of cotton, paper and sponges to hold the liquid in place. Unfortunately, those materials could only hold about 20 times their weight in water. However, today there is a much better situation. The use of super absorbent polymer materials such as sodium polyacrylate has dramatically increased the liquid holding capacity of diapers. Sodium polyacrylate was originally developed as an agricultural product which D Author α : Prone Cane Investments t/a Pro Agri, Zimbabwe. e-mail: pronecane@gmail.com Author σ : Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. Author ρ : Zimbabwe Open University, Zimbabwe. Author Ѡ ¥ : Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe. Global Journal of Science Frontier Research ( D ) XXIII Issue IV Version I Year 2023 17 © 2023 Global Journals