Inorganic fertilizer application exposes farmers to harm - Agripower

Mr. Samuel Seidu, Director of Agripower, producers of natural silicon fertilizers and soil amendments has said usage of inorganic fertilizer did not only pose harm to consumers of such crops, but also farmers during the application.

He said the use of inorganic fertilizer in growing crop contributed to the reduction in the nutrient value of the crop, making it poisonous with farmers who applied the fertilizer exposed to health hazards such as skin cancer and rashes.

Mr Seidu who said this at the Agricultural drone launch in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region said,“any chemical that is harmful when it enters your mouth is a poison and should not be used in growing crops”.

Some 430 farmers from the District were educated on why they should use organic fertilizers instead of inorganic fertilizers.

He introduced the farmers to the "Eduane Pa Organic Fertilizer" from Agripower Ghana Limited and urged the farmers to resist the use of the inorganic fertilizer since its application exposed them to more health hazards.

“When you are applying the inorganic fertilizers and it comes in contact with your skin, you are likely to develop skin rashes which is a prove of the harmfulness of the inorganic fertilizer,” he stressed.

Mr. Seidu said the "Aduane Pa Fertilizer" was a two in one fertilizer that played the role of a harmless fertilizer and at the same time protects the crop from fungi and insect infections.

He said any chemical that killed an insect was likely to be harmful to the human system, “for this reason, the Aduane Pa Fertilizer does not kill any insect, but rather produces an offensive scent that dispels the insects and still keeps the crop natural and fresh”.

Maxwell Addadey, an Agricultural Extension Officer endorsed the product saying the product was cost efficient as it was subsidised by government by 50 per cent.

Some participants told the Ghana News Agency they were happy about the education and asked Agripower Ghana Limited to make the product available in agriculture shops for easy access.