FERTILIZER USE

Application of fertilizers, whether organic or inorganic, is usually necessary for achieving economically viable returns but it is important to determine application rates on the basis of soil analysis, cropping history and actual requirements of the crop at each stage in its development.

For smallholders who also keep livestock, use of organic manures - whether animal manure, green manure or mulch - is often desirable as a way of saving costs, improving soil structure and enabling farmers to access organic markets, but proper treatment of the manure is necessary to ensure food safety and to avoid leaching of nutrients into streams or groundwater.

Where chemical fertilizers are applied even greater care is needed to match the amount and timing of applications to crop needs, food safety and environmental protection.

More information: fertilizer supply and use;
organic production: Soil Association ( www.soilassociation.org);
FAO ( www.fao.org/codex_content.html);
IFOAM ( www.ifoam.org/index_2.html).