Natural fertilizers are organic products made of a variety of organic components, including compost, plant waste, and animal manure. A nutrient-rich mixture made from these components is combined to increase the soil’s fertility and encourage plant development.
Most people use compost, a type of natural compost fertilizer created by the decomposition of organic materials like food scraps, yard trash, leaves, and so forth. The growth of plants depends on important minerals like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are abundant in compost. Additionally, it enhances microbial activity, water retention, and soil structure.
In contrast to chemical fertilizers, natural fertilizers, sometimes referred to as organic fertilizers, are made from natural sources and release nutrients gradually, giving plants a more balanced and long-lasting nutrition supply. They frequently have high levels of organic matter, which enhances microbial activity, water retention, and soil structure. Natural fertilizers have negligible adverse effects on the environment and are renewable resources.
Chemical fertilizers are synthetic goods made from non-renewable resources like fossil fuels. These fertilizers are designed to deliver particular nutrients in concentrated quantities, enabling quick nutrient uptake by plants. They can, however, leak into bodies of water or runoff from farms, causing water pollution and ecosystem imbalances. Additionally, using chemical fertilizers too frequently can cause soil degradation and nutrient imbalances.
Therefore, it is essential to use natural fertilizers made from animal dung. This is a typical organic composite fertilizer that is used in farming all over the world. To provide nutrients to the soil, manure from animals like cows, horses, or chickens is collected and spread over fields or gardens. High concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are found in manure, along with other micronutrients that are good for plant growth.
Additionally, there are numerous advantages of natural composite fertilizers over chemical fertilizers. They offer a gradual release of nutrients, lowering the possibility of nutrient runoff and leaching and reducing environmental pollution. By boosting microbial activity and adding more organic matter to the soil, they help increase its health. They also assist in lessening reliance on chemical fertilizers because they are sustainable and renewable resources.
In Ethiopia, natural composite fertilizers are utilized in agriculture. Compost, crop waste, animal dung, and other organic wastes were combined by farmers and professionals to create fertilizers. However, the nation imports fertilizers because this is insufficient. The nation spends a lot of money each year importing fertilizers and distributing them to the farmers.
Why isn’t Ethiopia utilizing natural fertilizer more frequently if it has all these advantages? Does the nation possess the necessary resources to produce organic fertilizers? The most crucial questions that should be addressed.
Haramaya University (HU) College of Agriculture and Environment, School of Natural Resource and Environmental Science Lecture and Researcher Teferi Tadesse said that Ethiopia has a lot of potential for producing organic fertilizer. However, the nation hasn’t made use of this opportunity to save the environment and replace imported fertilizers.
Ethiopia has one of the largest livestock populations in Africa, and their dung and manure are a significant resource for making natural fertilizers. Nevertheless, over 22 million tons of dung and manure are wasted every year since it is utilized as firewood and fuel consumption. crop residues are also the other potential resources for natural fertilizer preparations. Nonetheless, the country hasn’t utilized them properly.
Cities especially Addis Ababa have also significant potential for natural fertilizer preparation. There are many organic resources available in cities that might be used to create natural fertilizer. Materials that could be used as natural fertilizers in the city are wasted, including onion, vegetable, and fruit peels, food, and other leftovers.
Considering both the drawbacks and the advantages, HU has been preparing natural fertilizer first in its own compound before spreading it to other locations. In light of this, HU promotes the creation awareness, and application of natural fertilizers by providing various forms of training, hands-on demonstrations, field trips, and other activities in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and other partners. This is done in recognition of the importance of natural or organic fertilizers for the ecosystem.
As stated by Teferi, any plant, when it grows, takes various nutrients from the earth. As the plant ages and collapses to the ground, it returns the nutrients to the soil. On the other hand, cattle eat plants and produce dung or manure, which is important for restoring the fertility of the land.
Nevertheless, food leftovers, fruit and vegetable peels, and other waste have been properly returned to the land. Cattle manure is frequently burned for fuel, and the land now does not receive the nutrients it needs. In addition, no trash, and dung gained from living organisms are used in the community to create natural fertilizers. As a result, the land is being depleted, and its fertility and productivity are drastically decreased.
To boost the soil’s fertility, the government has been importing chemicals and soil fertilizers at high cost and distributing them to the farmers. These chemical fertilizers, however, provide a temporary solution for soil fertility. Therefore, the country should pay due attention to natural fertilizer preparation since it provides a permanent solution for soil fertility. Additionally, utilizing natural fertilizers helps to solve environmental issues sustainably while saving foreign currency, he elaborated.
Particularly the Ministry of Agriculture should encourage farmers to adopt biogas as a fuel choice because the sludge can be used for natural composting and to maintain soil fertility. To use the residues for the creation of natural fertilizer, appropriate waste management practices should be used.
HU also provides various training on the utilization of chemical fertilizers in combination with natural fertilizers since combining the two fertilizers provides appropriate nutrients to the soil, prevents the side effects caused by chemical fertilizers, and improves the quality and safety of the soil. Moreover, natural fertilizer is imperative for all types of soils since it increases the water-retaining capacity of sandy soil and allows water to run freely, he indicated.
Unlike chemical fertilizers, applying natural fertilizers helps plant growth, soil health, disease prevention, and pest control. Because they contain 16 nutrients a plant needs for growth. Therefore, the country has huge potential for natural fertilizer preparation. Even if the country uses its potential properly, it will be possible to avoid importing fertilizers in 2 to 3 years.
Apart from chemical fertilizers, the farmers have been using natural fertilizers with multiple benefits to improve soil fertility by adding organic matter, which enhances soil structure and water retention capacity. This is particularly important in areas with low soil fertility and limited access to water resources.
In brief, Ethiopia has plenty of resources for creating natural fertilizer. Therefore, the country should take advantage of this opportunity to avoid or minimize imported fertilizers since natural fertilizer is essential for sustainable agriculture as it improves soil health, protects the environment, and encourages the production of healthier foods. Natural fertilizers are also a cost-effective, green way to increase soil fertility while preserving foreign exchange.
BY EPHREM ANDARGACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 3 OCTOBER 2023
