The University of Zambia School of Agriculture Department of Soil has invented a new fertilizer which is extracted from rocks.
Mr. Victor Shitumbanuma, a senior lecturer and researcher from the department of soil in the school of Agriculture said researchers carried out a test and came up with samples of phosphorous mineral extracted from rocks.
“This project is yet to be commercialised as investors have already come on board and willing to expand the project on a larger scale,” Mr Shitumbanuma said.
The Senior Lecturer said the Nitrogen Chemicals in Zambia produces fertilizer that contains three distinct minerals and this new fertilizer contains one nutrient to enrich the soil and phosphorous was the main reason the department embarked on the research.
“Looking at the fertilizers used in the country there are three nutrients required to enhance the growth of plants in large quantities which are Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in compound D while Urea only contains Nitrogen or Ammonium Nitrate,” he said.
Mr. Shitumbanuma further said the country does not produce any fertilizer locally all companies import and come up with a mixture.
However, the school of Agriculture saw it fit to produce materials that can be used to produce fertilizer locally from within the country and still on a survey to find more minerals to contribute to the manufacturing of fertilizer in Zambia.
Mr. Shitumbanuma said that the invented fertilizer can be applied to all soil types as it provides the required mineral in the right proportion to all plants in the country.
The school of Agriculture investigated and conducted a research on whether the department of soil can produce their own fertilizer to use on the crops grown locally at their department and how the crops can respond to it.