Question

Modern agriculture rely heavily on a wide range of synthetic chemicals which include different types of fertilizers and pesticides. Use of these chemicals has played a very vital role in increased agricu ltural production. However, use of chemical fertil izers is a costly input and their manufacture depends on the dwindl ing resources of energy such as petroleum and coal. Moreover, chemical fertilizers being industrial products are subjected to cost increases every year and becoming unaffordable to a large segment of farmers. As an agricultural scientist, can you suggest some cheap and eco-friendly method to boost agricultural production.

Answer 1

As an agricultural scientist, I would suggest using biofertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers to boost agricultural production. Biofertilizers are cheap and eco-friendly microbial inoculants of bacteria, algae, and fungi that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil by biological nitrogen fixation and enhancing nutrient availability to plants. They improve soil fertility naturally without the harmful effects associated with chemical fertilizers, such as soil degradation and imbalance of minerals. This method helps sustain soil health and increases crop yield in an economical and environmentally friendly way.