Ecological Sanitation (ECOSAN) in Oasis Communities

Abstract

The chapter highlights the importance of the concept of “ecological sanitation” (Ecosan) in environmental education. It also describes the implementation and management of the “Ecosan” project in several primary and middle schools and explores the lessons learned from reusing organic waste to promote sustainability in arid communities in the southeastern region of Morocco. The project planned and built Ecosan systems that recycle human wastes in five schools from five oasis villages of the Draa-Tafilalt region. The results suggest that the Ecosan system may be a sustainable option to support water, soil, and biodiversity in the vulnerable arid areas, but the scale-up of the project and adoption by the local communities will require more work and coordination with the government and local stakeholders.