Discuss the benefits and environmental implications of applying Essay

Discuss the benefits and environmental implications of applying composts and other organic amendments to agricultural land - Essay Example These include sewage sludges, municipal solid wastes, urban yard refuses, food industry residues, wood processing wastes, and agricultural crop residues; these are produced in considerable quantities by the human community, particularly in urban, highly populated areas, state Senesi et al (1996). Besides their application to agricultural land after appropriate treatment, other alternatives for their disposal are incineration, land filling, and discharge to water bodies. However, the most environmentally safe and economically satisfactory solution is the application of composts and other organic amendments to agricultural land. â€Å"This choice also provides advantages which may result in soil fertility and agricultural production benefits† (Senesi et al, 1996, p.533). Organic wastes and residues of any nature require appropriate treatment before soil application. ... conomic benefits to agriculture, the measures to prevent adverse environmental outcomes, alternative options, and whether benefits outweigh negative effects will be examined. BENEFITS OF APPLYING COMPOSTS AND OTHER ORGANIC AMENDMENTS TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS The application of compost benefits the biological, chemical and physical properties of soil. Biologically, compost promotes the development of fauna and microflora, reduces plants’ susceptibility to attack by parasites, and supports the faster root development of plants. Chemically, compost has beneficial outcomes on soil in several ways. It â€Å"increases nutrient content, turns mineral substances in soil into forms available to plants, and regulates the addition of minerals to soil, particularly nitrogenous compounds† (EPA, 1994, p.87). Additionally, compost serves as a buffer in making minerals available to plants, and provides a source of micronutrients. Moreover, compost improves numerous physical characteristic s of the soil including the soil’s â€Å"texture, water retention capacity, infiltration, resistance to wind and water erosion, aeration capacity, and structural and temperature stability† (EPA, 1994, p.87). In Tigray Region of Ethiopia, the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development undertook since 1998 the production of compost as a part of its extension package. By 2007, at least 25% of the farmers were making and using compost. The success of this approach is emphasized by the doubling in the quantity of grain yield between 2003 and 2006, from 714 to 1,354 thousand tonnes. At the same time, since 1998, there has also been a steady decrease in the use of chemical fertiliser from 13.7 to 8.2 thousand tonnes (Asmelash, Araya, Egziabher et al, 2007, p.19). Other regions of Ethiopia are also promoting