Daily Post Nigeria Planting crops at dumpsites may lead to cancer – Don cautions farmers Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Health Planting crops at dumpsites may lead to cancer – Don cautions farmers Published on July 18, 2024 By Daniel Chibuike A Professor of soil science at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, Abia State, Professor Mabel Ifeoma Onwuka has warned farmers against planting crops at dumpsites, noting that it could lead to cancer. This is also as she expressed worries over poor soil texture in the southeast region, advocating for proactive measures to mitigate looming food insecurity. Onwuka, who disclosed this on Tuesday during a community outreach organized in collaboration with Peri-Urban Agricultural unit of National Roots Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, at Umuajata Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA, disclosed that some cultural practices were detrimental to soil fertility.
She identified bush burning, population pressure, climate change, erosion, indiscriminate use of fertilizers, among others as major factors that affect the soil negatively and lead to poor yields. While warning farmers to avoid planting crops at waste dump sites, she explained that the presence of heavy metals like mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), thallium (Tl), among others would be absorbed by crops and may lead to cancer and other health conditions. Prof.
Onwuka also decried the recent exponential increase in the price of sundry food ite.
