Farmers Warned: Planting Crops at Dumpsites May Lead to Cancer

Professor Mabel Ifeoma Onwuka, a soil science expert at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Umudike, Abia State, has cautioned farmers against planting crops at dumpsites, warning that it could lead to cancer. Speaking during a community outreach event, she expressed concerns about poor soil texture in the southeast region and advocated for measures to mitigate looming food insecurity. Onwuka identified harmful cultural practices such as bush burning, population pressure, climate change, erosion, and indiscriminate fertilizer use as major factors affecting soil fertility and leading to poor yields. She warned farmers to avoid planting crops at waste dump sites, as heavy metals like mercury, lead, and chromium can be absorbed by crops and lead to cancer and other health conditions. The professor also addressed the recent surge in food prices, encouraging Nigerians to grow their own crops. She demonstrated biochar production and organic fertilizer conversion using domestic and agricultural waste, urging Abia farmers to utilize MOUAU's community services to boost food production. Onwuka lamented the difficulty rural women face in accessing fertilizers and emphasized the importance of extending research innovations to rural farmers to enhance food production in Abia and Nigeria.