Organic fertiliser Need of the hour

28 December 2013 04:27 am Views - 1935

The government spends around Rs. 33 million annually on fertiliser subsidy - no doubt a colossal amount.
Recent state endeavours into organic manure usage to save this financial expense is more than a step forward in the right direction.
According to Assistant Director Agriculture, Ganewatte AGA’s Divison  Kurunegala, M.U.N. Pushpakumara, “it would not only save foreign exchange but also contribute to national health.” For example, the ever-increasing kidney patients in the North Central Province clearly connected to ground water contamination takes a heavy toll on state finances. It has now been proven - the close link between chemical fertiliser and kidney disease,’’ he said.
Every conceivable well, waterway, canal and tank in the NCP is polluted. The situation is so bad. So the state’s decision to go into a gradual shift from organic fertiliser, weedicides and pesticides is commendable. It will in the long run help disease-prevention instead of the currently operative costly disease cure.

"The existing agricultural workforce is no longer into fulltime farming. If they are to be retained in the agricultural sector, these youth could be encouraged into producing the country’s much needed compost to make organic fertilizer"

Cynics view this whole task as unattainable. Yet to Pushpakumara - a ‘never say die’ type, the project is not hopeless if not in large-scale agricultural areas, at least at village level within limited land holdings.
The agricultural sector is shrinking. Farming is no longer profitable. Labour keeps shifting into more lucrative construction sites or joins the overseas labour market.  The existing agricultural workforce is no longer into fulltime farming.
If they are to be retained in the agricultural sector, these youth could be encouraged into producing the country’s much needed compost to make organic fertiliser.

Organic manure comes with a high price tag and its production could be popularised in the village as an income-generating venture. Its advantages are many. It would help prevent rural/ urban migration. The men will be with their families. The father’s presence at home would ease the anxieties that usually accompany, should he work elsewhere.

 This whole task - seemingly gigantic - will be realisable only with effective state patronage island-wide starting with the AGA’s agricultural division level.
“What’s more it is sure to become a high degree money spinner,’’ said Pushpakumara. His suggestion reminded this writer of the island-wide Ayurvedic shops with its ring of suppliers that bring in the costly herbs from the jungles - a money-spinner. Likewise, organic manure outlets could be set up island-wide, enabling easy marketing. It will also help poultry breeders and dairy owners as well the disposal of bird droppings and cow dung - both rich in natural fertiliser presently going waste.

The constant use of artificial fertiliser has damaged the soil. Its revival into originality is possible only with large quantities of organic manure.
He believes the easy access to chemical fertiliser and its transportation being not so cumbersome has found farmer preference of such over organic manure. Urea can even be taken on a mobike - the ratio being 1:10 i.e one bag inorganic fertilzer equivalent to 10 bags of chemical fertiliser.
‘’ Nevertheless, it could be done and needs to be done if our concern is national health and saving foreign exchange.’’

"Organic manure comes with a high price tag and its production could be popularised in the village as an income-generating venture. Its advantages are many. It would help prevent rural/ urban migration. The men will be with their families"

 Driving home a serious point in lighter vein , Pushpakumara continued, ‘’as much as people have got so used to chemical fertilizer and pesticides, the  plants too have  got addicted to it. So both segments need to be weaned away gradually. At the beginning we may encounter certain problems from those with vested interests, yet, they too will fall in line as time goes on. With total state patronage what can’t we do?’’ he asked poignantly
 Citing the Eppawala rock phosphates which fertilise the coconut plantations, Pushpakumara is sealed in the hope that someday, we could churn our own homegrown fertiliser and insecticides. The whole country’s requirements we may not be able to meet, unless there is a long-term plan running into decades. For instance kohomba or neem is a fine insecticide but we need a blueprint for its large-scale cultivation if we are to shift from its chemical equivalent. There are so many indigenous pest-resistants similar to kohomba.  A national action plan is the hour’s need.