The New Nation - Internet Edition

Experts at a roundtable in the city the other day said that about 70 percent of fertiliser are wasted in the agricultural fields due to lack of correct knowledge of the farmers about the proper use of the same. The percentage of wastage that the experts mentioned may not be so high. But it is true that a large quantity of fertiliser is wasted mainly in the form of excessive application. Guided by incorrect ideas about quantity of fertilisers to be used according to the nature and quality of land, the farmers usually follow a countrywide standard average. Such excessive use of chemical fertilisers leads ultimately to the loss of natural fertility of land and reduction of marginal productivity.

This wrong idea leads to the excessive use of urea to the neglect of other fertilisers like triple super phosphate, mureate of potash, zinc etc. As part of a proper land use policy, total land area of the country has been divided into 30 distinctive zones on the basis of nature and quality of soil. As the soil condition is not the same all over the country, the quantity of fertilisers to be used cannot also be equal. For lack of knowledge about the variation of soil quality in different zones, farmers apply fertiliser disproportionately. They spend much on fertilisers but do not get expected return. Fertilisers must be used in accordance with specific quality of the land. Proper balance between use of fertiliser and irrigation needs to be maintained to get best result.

The farmers should be given necessary ideas about soil condition of their respective zones and ratio of fertilisers to be applied for different crops. They must be made aware about the harm of indiscriminate use of fertilisers. The farmers need to be freed from traditional idea about cultivation. They must be encouraged to use bio-fertilisers. Experiences of the farmers should be integrated with knowledge about modern agriculture. The authority must take comprehensive programmes to educate the farmers in the respective fields.

Ariful Huq

Dhaka