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Soil
scientists have spent decades warning that soil degradation is a threat to food
security worldwide
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Skyrocketing prices
of fertilizers have been a cause of concern for most rural subsistence farmers
in Malawi. Many farmers do not have the
resources to acquire the much needed fertilizers to top-dress both cash crops
and staple foods. The result has been declining crop yields and continuous food
insecurity among many rural households. Clarifier mud, a byproduct of sugar
molasses, is an organic fertilizer that has been proved through research to
improve deficient soils and boost maize yields. IslamOnline.net
Correspondent, Charles Mkoka, has been investigating on the issue and now
reports.
Soil fertility depletion among small holder farmers is the
major factor responsible for the decline of food production in Malawi. Most of the soils are highly weathered and low in soil organic matter like
nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and calcium, says a study report by soil
scientists at Chitedze Agriculture research station.
Soil scientists have spent decades warning that soil
degradation is a threat to food security worldwide. But while policy makers
remain skeptical, new research is revealing an alarming trend.
Some researchers say the biggest threat, however, is the
combination of global warming with soil degradation. Higher temperatures could
mean less organic matter, more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and even higher
erosion rates, it has been reported.
Boosting Maize Yields
Research carried on clarifier mud to evaluate its
effectiveness as an organic fertilizer on soil and maize, showed that the
clarifier mud had an effect on improving deficient soil and boosting maize
yields. According to the report
funded by the Ethanol Company of Malawi, the research was conducted at Chitedze, Mbawa, Bvumbwe research stations and
Nkhunga extension planning area in Nkhota-kota district.
The use of organic material is the only remedy to improve
soil organic matter but also supplies nutrients for crop production. Organic
materials have the potential to improve water holding capacity, buffering
capacity and microbial activities that greatly contribute to nutrients recycling
in different cropping systems, says the report.
The implication is that if the current trend in soil
fertility depletion continues, then crop production will continue to decline,
and as a result, local Malawians will perpetually experience the problem of food
insecurity. The government’s vision on food security and poverty alleviation
will not become a reality. However, soil productivity can be improved and
sustained through the use of other alternatives such as compost manure, animal
manure, and filter mud. Such alternatives have the potential to improve soil
fertility, as they are rich sources of organic matter and plant nutrients. The
disadvantage of using compost manure is that it is high labor demanding and
requires ample time for the decomposition process.
Clarifier Mud
Clarifier Mud is a by-product of Ethanol Company Malawi
Limited that processes sugar cane molasses. The material seems to be a potential
source of organic fertilizer and likely to improve soil productivity for better
crop yields. However, in Malawi, clarifier mud is not fully exploited nor researched upon. The material is
readily available and cheap (no need to buy) especially for the farmers around
the Ethanol Company in Dwangwa.
Clarifier mud is similar to filter mud which has a silt
clay loam texture and could be likened to peat. Filter mud is a useful
fertilizer especially when applied to phosphate-deficient soils and to the
fields in which the topsoil has been removed. The mud is able to improve
physical characteristics and conditions of the soil, the report further says.
The mud has similar chemical composition to peat and is rich in organic carbon,
has high power of hydrogen value and high mineral and extractable base of
nitrates, magnesium, potassium and calcium.
Four different nitrogen rates of 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg/ha
were used from clarifier mud and inorganic fertilizer sources. The analytical
results of clarifier mud revealed a great potential for crop production, because
of high values in elements such as nitrogen, potassium and magnesium. The
micro-nutrients such as zinc and copper could be provided in adequate amounts
for optimum crop growth.
A Solution to Critical Problems
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“It is high time that farmers
change their minds and start applying readily available organic fertilizers like
clarifier mud in their fields”
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Before research was done, small holder farmers were
applying clarifier mud collected from Ethanol Company of Malawi in Dwangwa. They would then apply
the mud without research backup. The results were wilting of crops such as maize
and beans. The need for undertaking the research was to inform farmers of the
correct application amounts.
“It
is high time that farmers change their minds and start applying readily
available organic fertilizers like clarifier mud in their fields,” says Samuel
Saka, agricultural development officer for Nkhunga extension planning area in
Nkhota-Kota district in central Malawi. “Based on the successful demonstration plots we had, many farmers have
started implementing this method and the results speak for themselves — high
maize yields.”
Collin Chiumya, a subsistence farmer, says,
“Fertilizers are currently very expensive [for] ordinary Malawian farmers. I
am therefore urging my fellow farmers to make the most use of organic
fertilizers in order to improve our agro-based economy through high crop
production.”
During the second extraordinary session of the
African Union held in Sirte, Libya, recently, African leaders recognized the urgent need to respond to the
continent’s critical problems of hunger, poverty and disease by employing
innovative complementary and comprehensive approaches.
In the resulting Sirte
Declaration, delegates stressed the “need to effectively utilize the results
of scientific research for agricultural planning to tackle the problems of
desertification, soil and water conservation and environment protection for
sustainable agricultural and animal resource development.”
*Charles Mkoka
is an independent Malawian environmental writer with much experience in
environmental issues. He has worked in the field of environment and natural
resources since 1996, after graduating from the Malawi Natural Resources College. Apart from being a writer, he is also a wildlife educator, specialist and
guide. You can reach him at: mkokach@yahoo.com
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