Soil not healthy

Almost 62 percent of the country's arable land is in a critical state having organic matters as low as below 1.74 percent, according to a government report.

Also, over 21 percent of the land possesses organic elements in between 1.74 and 3.5 percent, which ideally should be five percent, it added.

Fertile land contains up to 45 percent minerals, 25 percent each of water and air, and the remaining five percent organic elements, according to the recently published report of the government's Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI).

But 61.6 percent of the 87.52 lakh hectares of farmland in the country is currently witnessing a lack of organic substance due to the effects of excessive usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, not giving the land enough time to rest and factors relating to global warming and climatic changes.

Immediate-past SRDI director Delwar Hossain Mollah, who oversaw the report, “Bangladesh's Soil and Organic Agriculture”, said over-exploitation of soil for increasing per unit crop production is causing the soil to lose its fertility.

Also, soil's fertility is reliant on temperature. Due to global warming, it is losing its nutrition-intake capacity.

“It's understandable that in pursuit of feeding the growing population, farmers must grow three to four crops on the same land a year. They must be careful about proper soil management.”

But, as food production must not be stopped, farmers are inclined to apply excessive chemicals.

Researchers noted that previously farmers used to apply two to three types of chemical inputs. Now many of them use eight to nine types of fertilisers and pesticides.

The need to meet the rising food demand is forcing the farmers to use more chemicals, according the agriculture ministry.

The SRDI report also found that many farmers tend to grow the same crop on the same land. For this, their farmland loses essential organic elements fast.

Prof Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, a teacher of soil science at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, suggested crop-rotation, growing rice followed by lentil or mustard, which will help the soil remain rich in organic contents.

“We only know how to take from the soil, but not to give back, let alone giving it a rest,” he said.

The SRDI statistics show that 37 lakh hectares of the country's land lacks phosphorus, 27.2 lakh hectares lack potassium and three lakh hectares lack calcium, magnesium and so on. Agriculturist Dr Zahangir Alom, additional director (cash crops) at the Department of Agricultural Extension, acknowledged the dip in organic substance in the soil.

The government needs to carry out the recommendations given in the research report, he suggested.

Agricultural scientist Prof Zahurul Karim told the news agency, “If we keep relying on chemical fertilisers, the condition of the soil will deteriorate quickly.”

He advised taking good care of the soil and using less fertilisers to keep its health in check.