Pay Drechsel

Strategic Program Leader, Rural-Urban Linkages, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Co-leader of Sustaining Rural-Urban Linkages Research Theme, WLE

p.drechsel (at) cgiar.org

Pay Drechsel has more than 25 years of experience working as an environmental scientist in projects aiming at the safe recovery of resources from human waste, integrated natural resources management and sustainable agricultural production in developing countries. He is strategic program leader of Rural-Urban Linkages at IWMI.

Over the past 10 years, Pay has coordinated several multi-disciplinary projects, mostly on urban and peri-urban agriculture, solid and liquid waste management and related environmental and health impact mitigation in the agriculture-sanitation interface.

Pay has authored or co-authored about 300 publications, and received the IWA Water & Development Award for Research in 2015. He holds a PhD in environmental sciences from the University of Bayreuth, Germany. See a list of Pay's google citations.

Recent key publications from Pay include:

Learn more.

Content authored by Pay Drechsel

Blog Post
Blog Post
November 12, 2021
What is the cost of the food we waste and how can we change behaviours to address this growing challenge?
Everyone can play a part in reducing food waste. The big challenge, however, is how to convey this message? The answer may lie in quantification.
- Mohamed Aheeyar
- Pay Drechsel
Blog Post
Blog Post
August 09, 2021
Scaling up wastewater aquaculture through public-private partnerships
A new report showcases partnerships for wastewater aquaculture that could generate benefits for farmers, water treatment plant operators and consumers worldwide.
- Pay Drechsel
Blog Post
Blog Post
June 09, 2021
Never let good waste become a crisis: lessons for the Global South
A new report champions business-led pathways to cut down on food waste – reducing food's ecological footprint and supporting pandemic-affected communities across the developing world.
- Pay Drechsel
- Rabi Thapa
Blog Post
Blog Post
January 21, 2021
Who will empty India’s 100 million new toilets?
Improved sanitation is booming, but when the majority of new toilets connect to pits and septic tanks, where does it all go from there? A WLE study offers answers from across India.
- Pay Drechsel
- Paul Farah Cox
Blog Post
Blog Post
April 08, 2020
Strengthening city-region food systems during and beyond COVID-19
City regions are at high risk during epidemics. But solutions exist to protect supply chains, leverage the circular economy, and amp up peri-urban agriculture. Here's how we can create more resilient systems.
- Pay Drechsel
- Learning / Training
Online Course: Resources, Recovery and Reuse (RRR) Entrepreneurship
Urbanization
September 04, 2019
A new course following WLE/IWMI-led research on RRR offers video lectures, worksheets, and reading recommendations to entrepreneurs seeking opportunities in waste management and sanitation.
- Miriam Otoo
- Pay Drechsel
Blog Post
Blog Post
October 01, 2018
Can you imagine a world of waste-wise cities? Accra leads the way
On the occasion of World Habitat Day, UN Habitat is calling for ‘waste-wise cities’ that recycle and reuse waste to help realize international agendas, such as the SDGs. Accra, Ghana, leads the way, successfully turning city waste into safe and efficient fertilizer for farmers in and around the city.
- Pay Drechsel
- Josiane Nikiema
- Business model
Business models for recovering resources from waste
Urbanization
June 26, 2018
There are valuable resources trapped in city waste, including nutrients for soils, water for irrigation, and energy for household use. By creating business models for recovering and reusing these resources, we can help pave the way for reduced pollution and more sustainable food and energy systems.
- Pay Drechsel
- Miriam Otoo
News
May 09, 2017
CITYFOOD Network launched by RUAF foundation and ICLEI in Bonn
A new network will provide information and guidance to cities around the world on how to create more resilient and sustainable food systems in urban centers.
- Pay Drechsel
Blog Post
Blog Post
February 26, 2017
Why the local food trend won’t cut it in a climate change future
How can we secure sufficient food and nutrition for growing cities? A recent study implies that relying on urban farming is not the only answer.
- Pay Drechsel
The Economist's Sustainability Summit 2017
- Approach
On-farm Treatment Options for Wastewater, Greywater and Fecal Sludge
Urbanization
June 12, 2016
These options provide an overview of some low-cost wastewater treatment technologies for pathogen removal, which can be adapted for use in urban and peri-urban areas in low-income countries where the wastewater is of domestic origin
- Pay Drechsel