Team Lead, Conventional Media, E-extension department of the National Agriculture Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Mr Ismail Olawale, has urged farmers to go back to the use of organic fertilizers.
Olawale told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that using organic fertilizers had proven to be more beneficial than the application of agro-chemicals on their farms.
He said that it was necessary for farmers to continue the traditional use of organic fertilizers to boost the micro-nutrients of their lands but through a more hygienic method.
NAN reports that the institute has organised various seminars in rural areas where farmers were tutored on the need to go back to the practice and use of organic fertilizers.
According to Olawale, farmers need to be enlightened on how to actually go about the application of organic fertilizers in such a way that it will not be hazardous to the health of the ultimate consumer.
He called on farmers, especially the small scale ones to be wary of sourcing elements of organic fertilizers through unsanitary means, including indiscriminate use of human faeces, cow dung and poultry litters.
“There is an improved system by the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in providing organic fertilizers to the local farmers through the school’s sewage.
“To process the organic fertilizers, there is a separation of the faeces and urines from the sewage tank of the school where the faeces go through a process of chemical refining process.
“The chemically refined faeces is then sold to farmers or sometimes given as grant to boost sanitary organic farming in rural areas,” he said.
Olawale added that the use of organic fertilizers on farmlands had yielded better harvests and crop output for the farmers than most agro-chemicals.
He said that organic fertilizers were safer, domestically available and more affordable to the farmer than most agro-chemicals.
“Organic fertilizers also boost the micro-nutrient of the soil because they are natural, and they naturally align with the soil because they decompose naturally.
“However more exposure is needed on the handling and processing and packaging of these organic fertilizers to avoid health and environmental hazards,” he said. (NAN)
