Land fertility: Garbage now goldmine for Katsina farmers

The quest for manure by Katsina farmers is leading them to decomposed garbage, which has now become a goldmine of sort. Traditionally, in the eve of the rainy season every year, farmers got themselves busy conveying and spreading manure in their farms to improve fertility and yield. Manure contributes to the fertility of the soil […]

The quest for manure by Katsina farmers is leading them to decomposed garbage, which has now become a goldmine of sort.
Traditionally, in the eve of the rainy season every year, farmers got themselves busy conveying and spreading manure in their farms to improve fertility and yield.
Manure contributes to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients such as nitrogen that are trapped by bacteria in the soil; higher organisms then feed on the fungi and bacteria in a chain of life that comprises the soil food web.
It is also a product obtained after decomposition of organic matter which replenishes the soil with essential elements.
A 68-year-old farmer at Yankara, Faskari LGA, Malam Usman Sanusi, said compared to what obtained in the past, population explosion was the main factor responsible for the high cost of manure/humus these days.
“About 30 to 40 years ago, farmers were only concerned about manure from decomposed animal dung, especially that of goats, sheep and cattle. Those involved in animal rearing, mostly women gave the manure to their husbands and neighbours free of charge. There was enough manure in our neighborhoods because livestock rearing was part and parcel of our society and the population was not as much as it is now,’’ he said.
He added that with the proliferation and wider acceptance of fertilizer among farmers, organic manure was partly abandoned until in recent years when farmers realised that the fertility of their farms was gradually wearing out.
“The farmers are fast demanding for organic manure, while the number of livestock rearers has significantly reduced with modernisation, hence, manure is now a scarce commodity, especially with the growing number of farmers nowadays. This is now forcing farmers to look for decomposed garbage to make humus out of it at a costly rate,” Malam Usman added.

Daily Trust observed that those that are into livestock are making money from their animal dung, especially that of sheep, cattle and goats.
Poultry droppings are also gaining farmers’ acceptance considering they are better manure than cow dung or other farmyard manure because of its rich nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium content.
Similarly, decomposed garbage is fast becoming a lucrative avenue for the locals, who sieve nylons, stones, metals and other hard substances before  selling the humus to farmers at a high price.
A livestock rearer in Funtua, Malama Safiya Idris, said she has been selling manure to farmers in the past 10 years and that she uses the proceeds to buy feeds and medicine for her animals.
“This year alone, I sold manure generated by my sheep worth N85,000 and I have been selling it in the past 10 years. Every year, I have a set of farmers that book for it and sometimes they make advance payment to show their seriousness; and I use the proceeds to buy animal feeds and settle their medication expenses,’’ Malama Safiya said.
Malam Isah mai Itace, another farmer, said it was the scarcity of animal dung that made the farmers to resort to the use of decomposed garbage.
“Shortage of animal dung has made the decomposed garbage inevitable by farmers as the youth are taking the advantage of it by sieving and preparing it for use in the farms. Last week we bought humus worth N145,000 which we used in three farms along Zaria road,’’ said Malam Isah.
He added that though many farmers knew the quality of manure/humus they are supposed to buy, some bought dark or burnt sand in the name of manure because people were becoming so desperate to make money out of it.
In the search for manure, people are indirectly engaging in sanitation exercise yearly as garbage areas and drainages are evacuated to the farms in the eve of the rainy season, allowing for easy passage of water and general cleanness of residential areas.