In terms of sustainable safe food production, organic matter is a prominent valuable nutrient source for both plants and living organisms. Organic matter is a primary source of carbon (C) which gives energy and nutrients to soil organisms.

Improvement of soil structure is realized as organic matter causes soil to clump and form soil aggregates contributing to better soil permeability thus improving the soil’s ability to take up and hold water which aids in minimizing soil erosion.

This organic matter and high carbon content support soil functionality because it improve the activity of microorganisms in the soil and can enhance biodiversity. The primary essential nutrients for optimum production of the vegetable crops are typical, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and potassium. Secondary nutrients are those usually needed in moderate amounts compared to the primary essential nutrients. The secondary Nutrients can be divided into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. The six elements normally classified as macronutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). The plant roots mainly take up these nutrients in ionic for

In the recent past, progressive farmers have used various natural methods to develop safer means of growing ‘organic’ certified vegetables using ‘no-till’ crop rotation, inner-planting methods, and cover crops to name just a few. These practices ensure the maximum organic matter remains in the soil resulting in enhanced beneficial microbial and bacterial health of a ‘living’ soil, rather than having a barren dead soil due to chemical fertilizers’ deadly impact on the beneficial microbes and bacterium of living soil.

The Achille’s heal of today’s dependency on petroleum-based fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides is the vulnerability of the supply chain and the flow of oil.

Best we soon adopt organic agriculture best management practices on a broad basis before conventional chemical fertilizers are so costly that we are forced to pay the price of not being able to produce enough food to feed our ever-expanding population.