”Our soil is gradually becoming unusable,” said Abhishek Shrestha, head of the Natural Resources Management College and crop expert. ”This seems to be causing more problems in production.”
What you should know
The residents of the district, traditionally dependent on agriculture, have now stopped farming. They are suffering as the costs of plowing the fields and spraying chemical fertilizers and pesticides on the crops have ceased to be recoverable.
Excessive use of pesticides has not only increased farmers' expenses, but also affected the health of consumers and the soil. The residents of this area have lamented the adverse effects of the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on human health, soil and environment.
Lal Bihari Mahato of Bardibas-9, Pashupatinagar has been in a state of shock since the unseasonal rains in Kartik destroyed the cauliflower planted in 13 plots. On the one hand, the income from vegetables has been lost, on the other hand, there is an added worry about how to repay the debt incurred by applying fertilizers and pesticides along with crop farming. Mahato said that the cauliflower planted after spending Rs 50,000 to purchase seeds has been destroyed, resulting in a loss of Rs 500,000.
Local Shravan Mahato said that production has stopped without pesticides. ‘Earlier, soil was like medicine,’ he said, ‘now, along with the use of pesticides, the soil and the produce are becoming poison.’ He said that pesticides are being used to protect vegetables due to the cold wave and extreme cold in the Terai. On the one hand, production is being affected by insects, and on top of that, there is a problem of vegetable plants rotting and rotting due to the cold. He said that M-45 Carvedagen is being sprayed to protect against such damage.
Soil expert Mohan Khadka said that the common people here have left the agricultural profession after suffering losses greater than their income. According to a study conducted by the Natural Resources Management College in Bardibas-6, acidity has increased in the soil of Madhes. Similarly, the study has shown that if chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used, the soil itself will not be useful. According to experts, the acidity level in good soil should be 6.5 to 7. The soil here has been found to be less acidic. During the study, Abhishek Shrestha, head of the Natural Resources Management College and crop expert, informed that when testing 70 bighas of soil, the soil showed 5.5 acidity. He said that even if there is a slight fluctuation, its impact will be significant. According to experts, for Nepal as a whole, soil with 7.5 percent acidity is considered good. In Madhesh, soil with 6.5 percent acidity is considered good. ‘Our soil is gradually becoming unusable,’ said Shrestha, ‘This seems to be causing more problems in production.’
