PERCEPTIONS ON ECOLOGICAL SANITATION IN ZIMBABWE: THE CASE OF MASIYARWA COMMUNAL AREA IN ZVIMBA DISTRICT OF MASHONALAND WEST PROVINCE

Ecological sanitation technologies have taken prominence as sustainable ways of managing human waste in communal settings. Since the introduction and adoption of such technologies in Zimbabwe there has been limited evaluation of residents' perceptions of these technologies. Thus, a Descriptive Survey of residents' perception on Ecological Sanitation Technologies was conducted using a pretested questionnaire and key informant interviews with beneficiaries, triangulated with focus group discussions, field observations, and secondary data sources. The cultural background of the beneficiaries was observed to play a critical role in molding their perceptions towards the ecological sanitation technologies (EcoSan). Generally, there was a negative perception towards the use of humanure in leaf, stem, and root crops, with a clear show of disgust at the mention of such a prospect. To achieve high levels of acceptability of the technologies, awareness campaigns should target local community leaders (mainly councilors, chiefs, and kraal heads) as critical vehicles for positive perception development and mobilization of the rest of the community.