Not all soils have enough nutrients or the right balance of nutrients. 

Plants also remove nutrients from the soil as they grow, so these nutrients must be replaced in order for the soil to remain productive.
For these reasons, gardeners enhance soil by adding fertiliser, a material that contains one or more of the nutrients plants need.
The two categories are synthetic and organic fertilisers.
Synthetic fertilisers are concentrated salts or minerals, some of which are produced as by-products of petroleum production.
Organic fertilisers originate in plants, animals, or minerals and include compost and humus.
A newly formed group: the Natural Farming Association of Guyana (NFAG) is frowning on the use of synthetic fertiliser and promoting the use of organic fertiliser.
Formed by Agronomist and Head of the Evergreen Nature Study Club, Fitz Ogle, the group is also promoting the use of repellants as pesticides rather than chemicals.
Ogle explained that the group cannot correctly identify itself as promoting organic agriculture since the implications and ramifications of the term organic farming are beyond its scope.
“You want to be careful with the use of the words organic farming. Organic farming
involves verification and certification from Europe.
The certification stamp costs over $200, 000. There is a stipulation that says that for at least five years before you apply nobody should have been using insecticides or pesticides or artificial fertilisers within a five-mile radius of your farm.
If anybody had been found doing that within the five mile radius you cannot be certified. Organic farming certification is a hard thing to come by so we call ourselves Natural Farming for which the criteria are less stringent.”
The mission of the NFAG, which has been formed about a month now, is to encourage the production of naturally grown food in Guyana, thereby producing better food for better health; improving the standard of human well-being and advancing humility in a ‘green’ environment. Their motto: “Reaching conscious persons across Guyana and beyond and bringing them on board!”
Ogle said that the NFAG is targeting two sets of individuals for membership: those who want to buy naturally farmed produce and those who want to grow natural grown produce.

The Association places emphasis for fertilisation of plants and vegetables wholly and solely on organic fertiliser.
“We don’t support chemical pesticides. We promote natural repellents like pepper water garlic water, neem and so on. Pesticides kill. So we don’t kill anything while controlling and managing pests. We control pests leaving the natural environment as it is.”
He said that the Association is inviting members who will be required to pay a membership fee of GD$1,000.
The Association will also be providing training for those interested in doing Natural Farming.
Information on the new NFAG can be found on their Facebook Page National Farming Association of Guyana.
Written By Clifford Stanley