The Effects of Chemical Fertilizer for Food Security

A chemical fertilizer (also called inorganic, synthetic, artificial, or manufactured) is a substance in specific ratios with other chemical fillers applied to soils or directly onto plants to provide nutrients optimal for their growth and development. The effects of using chemical fertilizer cause environmental damage  – and even a presumed adverse impact on food security. In addition to, Chemical fertilizers, in effect, “kill” the soil while the benefits of organic fertilizers improve and sustain the soil. The following gives details of the affect chemical fertilizers have on our soil.

Soil Friability:
Chemical fertilizers destroy the friability of soil.

1. Chemical fertilizers contain acids, including sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. These acids dissolve “soil crumbs”, the material that holds rock particles together.
2. When these cementing materials are destroyed, the result is a compacted surface that prevents rain water from entering the soil.

Plant Diseases:
Chemical fertilizers encourage plant disease.

1. Fast-release chemical fertilizers have a high nitrogen content compared to slow-release organic fertilizers. When there is an overabundance of nitrogen (N) in relation to phosphate (P), plants are more susceptible to mosaic infections.
2. High nitrogen, as well as a lack of trace elements, is also related to fungal and bacterial disease in plants and vegetables.

Disadvantages of Chemical Fertilizer:

1. Chemical fertilizers are primarily made from nonrenewable sources, including fossil fuels.
2. They grow plants but do nothing to sustain the soil. The fillers do not promote life or soil health, and even packages labeled “complete” do not include the decaying matter necessary to improve soil structure. In fact, chemical fertilizers don’t replace many trace elements that are gradually depleted by repeated crop plantings, resulting in long-term damage to the soil.
3. Because the nutrients are readily available, there is a danger of over fertilization. This not only can kill plants but upset the entire ecosystem.
4. Chemical fertilizers tend to leach, or filter away from the plants, requiring additional applications.
5. Repeated applications may result in a toxic buildup of chemicals such as arsenic, cadmium, and uranium in the soil. These toxic chemicals can eventually make their way into your fruits and vegetables.
6. Long-term use of chemical fertilizer can change the soil pH, upset beneficial microbial ecosystems, increase pests, and even contribute to the release of greenhouse gases.