Poor soils, lack of irrigation, and limited access to inputs, including fertilizer, are some of the barriers farmers face to increasing food production, and alleviating food insecurity, in sub-Saharan Africa. Incorporating trees on farms can help increase yields by building…
Crops need air, sun, water, and soil to thrive. When it comes to soil, however, quality usually trumps quantity. Rich and fertile land boasts a healthy mixture of phosphorous, potassium, and nitrogen, along with water, air, and soil micro-organisms that…
Fertilizers are organic or inorganic substances, either natural or synthetic, used to supply elements (such as nitrogen, phosphate and potash) essential for plant growth. They are the most effective means of increasing crop production and of improving the quality of…
Coffee Grounds are a common additive to compost. What is it?Coffee Grounds are what is left over after making coffee. Coffee beans are ground and then steeped in water to make coffee. Old coffee seeds or ground coffee that has…
AS the Kharif cropping season is set to commence from April 1st, prices of fertilisers have increased creating an unrest among farmers across the country. Importers and dealers have raised prices of different fertilisers including Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and…
Positive effects of fertilizer use on the environment are often overlooked and only the negative aspects are brought into focus. Mineral and organic fertilizers are accused of accumulation of dangerous or even toxic substances in soil from fertilizer constituents, for…
The Sindh government has lodged a complaint with the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) against leading fertiliser companies, Dawn learnt from informed sources. The provincial government has accused the companies of indulging in anti-competitive practices in the province, hurting the…
This report presents the world nitrogen, phosphate and potassium fertilizer medium-term supply and demand projections for the period 2011-2015. The FAO/Fertilizer Organizations Working Group met in FAO, Rome in June 2011 to review the prospects for fertilizer demand and supply,…
Fertilizers (also spelled fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either through the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. Fertilizers can be organic (composed of organic…
Soil testing is the only way to determine the available nutrient status in soil or soil-less media and the only way a farmer can develop specific fertilizer recommendations. Periodic soil testing combined with a good record-keeping system for each field…
