New Delhi: World Soil Day (WSD) is celebrated on December 5 every year. On this day, the soil is recognized as a critical piece of our natural systems and as a vital contributor to human health through food, water, and energy security. Not only this, but soil also helps counteract biodiversity loss and climate change.
It is widely acknowledged that one of the most significant worldwide issues for food security and sustainability is soil nutrient loss. The goal of World Soil Day 2022 and its campaign, "Soils: Where Food Begins," is to increase understanding of the significance of preserving healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, raising soil awareness, and enticing societies to improve soil health.
The Need For Fertilizers To Improve Soil Health:
Soil contains nutrients in it, but the distribution of minerals varies geographically. We have no influence over how plants grow in the wild; they develop according to the conditions of the soil and other environmental factors. However, because we exclusively cultivate our favourite plant varieties in our gardens or farms, fertilisers must be given in accordance with those varieties' needs and the soil's availability.
The plants absorb soil nutrients, but when the plants or their leaves die, or when they are removed to be used as food, herbs, etc., the nutrients are not replaced. As a result, fertilisers are needed to improve the quality of the soil and create artificial circumstances that would increase plant productivity.
What Are Organic Fertilizers:
Organic fertilisers are made from the decomposition of organic waste i.e. plants and animals. They are processed fertilisers with a basis of compost or manure. Important nutrients are provided to the soil by organic fertilisers, which also increase soil fertility and produce higher-quality crops. They have long been a component of agriculture. They may be prepared from poultry manure, livestock and agricultural wastes, domestic wastes etc.
Benefits Of Using Organic Fertilizers:
1. Organic fertiliser has a high nutrient content, and provides nutrients to plants for a long time, with a significant aftereffect.
2. The natural, non-toxic, and unharmful nutrient components found in organic fertilisers completely ensure the creation of healthy food.
3. Organic Fertilizers have a variety of sugars in them. By adding organic fertiliser, you can raise the number of different sugars in the soil and provide soil microbes with the energy they need to grow, develop, and reproduce.
4. In addition to their potential on-farm output, organic fertilisers also support soil structure maintenance and nutrient retention capability. A farmer who has been using organic farming methods for a long time will therefore need far less fertiliser because his soil is already rich in vital nutrients.
5. We are all aware that chemical fertilisers are produced in big, automated factories with a yearly capacity of millions of tonnes. On the other hand, organic fertilisers are created locally and on a much smaller scale. Therefore, the manufacture of organic fertilisers creates jobs, particularly in rural areas where employment prospects can occasionally be poor.