Melody Dube, Features Reporter
GOING GREEN in agriculture can be the most effective way to preserving what is left of the environment which has always been the main source of food production for people and wildlife.

This is the process of utilising eco-friendly materials when conducting agriculture which comprises of farming, livestock keeping and gardening. In green farming, organic inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, fungicides and pest controls made from natural components are used. Environmentally friendly tools are used as well. These aid in avoiding harm to the environment and nurturing wildlife.

Green farming and gardening came to life during the advent of the green movement that was aimed at protecting the environment from the possible harms from human activities.

This method could prove very useful now that the world is facing one of its worst problems in climate change.

Climate change is slowly incapacitating the environment from supplying the global population with food. It is in such a way that if it is not prevented, there could be no future for agriculture.

Zimbabwe, like other nations, majorly relies on agriculture economically and for food supply. According to the 2014 Zimstat Labour Force Survey, this sector provides employment for nearly 70 percent of the economically active population, while accounting for 60 percent of all raw materials used by the manufacturing sector and contributing about 45 percent of total export earnings.

Globally, studies show that agriculture is the world largest industry. It employs more than one billion people and generates over $1,3 trillion worth of food annually.

However, studies also show that agricultural practices have acutely contributed to climate change over decades. Agriculture has been placed as one of the leading human causes of the globally experienced difficulties.

Water pollution, soil degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation are some of the negative results of agricultural practices to the environment.

Due to the methods widely used today in agriculture, the earth has been negatively affected. For instance, the use of synthetic fertilisers has been the major cause of greenhouse gases as well water and soil pollution.

Although synthetic fertilisers have a great impact in plant growth, they pose a danger to the environment. Once they are drained into lakes or rivers with the help of rain water or excessive watering they lead to water pollution. This does not only affect people but the wildlife as well through limitations in the drinking supply.

The widely-used ammonium nitrate fertiliser generates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas. Also, the nitrogen-rich synthetic fertilisers acidify the soil when they are regularly used. This acidification leeches away the nutrients in the soil and kills the beneficial soil organisms that aid in plant growth. This leads to decreases in the yields as well as the productivity rate of existing farmlands.

This is where green farming would come as it does not require the use of any chemicals. Instead, it promotes the use of organic fertilisers such as compost and livestock manure when feeding the plants. It is a fact that organic fertilisers have less impacts to the environment compared to synthetic ones. They barely produce harmful gases and they preserve soil health.

A farmer, Ms Nokukhanya Ngwenya from Esigodini testified that organic fertilisers work better than the man-made ones.

“I have been a farmer all my life because we survive on farming around here. Indeed, we use both synthetic and manure fertilisers but I can say that manure works better. It preserves plants health even when rains quickly ease. Plants do not dry out like when you use these fertilisers.

Manure produces soil nutrients such that you can stay for two years without a need to apply it again on your fields,” she said.

Another farmer, Mr Dumisani Ncube from Nketa suburb, Bulawayo said that he uses compost in his backyard garden.

“I feed my plants with compost that I keep on my backyard. Mostly it would be vegetable peelings, dead leaves and grass. Feeding plants with natural matter always produces healthy plants that are high on nutrients,” he said.

Considering the impact that agriculture has in Zimbabwe, farming practices must be ecologically friendly and promoting healthy biodiversity. Agricultural activities must ensure welfare of all living organisms, livestock and wildlife.

With the use of pesticides however, there have been adverse effects to the environment over the years. The chemicals used to create these pesticides are quite dangerous to the livestock and wildlife once ingested. They do more than killing insects, weeds and microbes as purposed. For instance, it was reported that animals which ingested the dichloro-diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) developed liver tumours until the pesticide was banned in Zimbabwe some years ago.

Ms Ngwenya also said that pesticides are not just harmful to animals but to people as well.

“Pesticides are dangerous and we must also look that they affect people as well. For instance, if a child unknowingly swallows plants that are freshly sprayed, this could result tragically. I opt to use natural pest controls such as ashes especially to vegetables that are always at reach of my children,” she stated.

Agriculture still needs to supply increasing amounts of food to growing populations but it is clear that this cannot be achieved in a synthetic manner like it has been done in the last few decades.

The effects of climate change calls for a smarter approach to farming.

Promoting green farming would enhance agricultural practices. It would also benefit the environment and preserve natural resources. This method works well on recycling soil nutrients and preventing water pollution in lakes and rivers.

Going green contributes to quality of life for both people and wildlife.