Knowledge and Perception on the Usage of Greywater for Backyard Cultivation of Native Herbs Among Residents of Ibadan North Local Government Area, Ibadan, Nigeria

Water scarcity is a growing concern in many metropolitan area, especially in Nigeria. As a result, non-potable uses like irrigation are increasingly depending on alternative water sources. A potential resource for urban gardening is greywater, which is wastewater from domestic tasks like laundry, bathing, and dishwashing. This is especially true when it comes to growing indigenous herbs that have nutritional, therapeutic, and cultural significance. Despite its potential, the acceptance and awareness of greywater reuse for irrigation remains limited. Therefore, this study documents knowledge and perception on the usage of greywater for backyard cultivation of native herbs among residents of Ibadan North Local Government Area, Ibadan, Nigeria. A 3-stage random sample techniques was used in this cross-sectional study to select wards/communities, households and 312 respondents to participate. A pretested, semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge (14-point scale) and perception (12-point Likert’s Scale) on the use of greywater for cultivation of local herbs in a backyard garden. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test at α=0.05. Participants’ age was 43.7±16.3 years, 64.4% were male while 39.7% had completed tertiary education. Several (40.4%) of the participants reported that they had heard about use of herbal medicine to control various ailments. The three major herbs mentioned were lemongrass (65.0%), miracle leaf (51.3%) and basil (32.5%). Only 8% of the participants reported they had used greywater in their compound/residence. The mean knowledge score was 6.4±1.8 and 70.7% had poor knowledge about greywater and its use for cultivating local herbs. About twenty percent (19.9%) affirmed that irrigating garden with greywater could save cost while 25.6% agreed that they do not have the expertise to run a garden with the use of greywater for irrigation. The mean perception score was 6.4±1.9 while 61% had the negative perception about greywater and its use for cultivating local herbs. Majority (70.8%) of public servants had negative perception about greywater and its use for cultivating local herbs against the minority – traders, retirees and students. Participants were aware about the use of herbal medicine to control various ailment. However, majority had poor knowledge and negative perception about greywater and its use for cultivating local herbs. Efforts should be made to increase public awareness about greywater and its reuse in order to encourage appropriate management and the adoption of greywater systems for native herbs cultivation.