When farmers start using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the begin to experience a series of problems. We will discuss them in turn.

3.1.1 Degradation of the soil

The first problem farmers using chemical agricultural practices face is degradation of the soil. One cause is lack of organic matter supply. The diminished supply of humus which results in turn causes problems:

1. soil structure is broken down so the soil become hard
2. the water-holding capacity decreases
3. the nutrient-holding capacity also decreases
4. there is micro-nurient deficiency

Micro-organisms decrease in number and become inactive Another factor is the disturbance of micro-organisms caused by the added chemicals in fertilizers and pesticides. As discussed above, very good soil is physically well structured, chemically well balanced and biologically balanced and active. Chemical agricultural practice only improves the availability of some minerals (N.P.K. - a part of chemical quality), while worsening the physical quality, other parts of chemical quality and the biological quality of the soil. Agro-chemicals result in:

1. PH imbalance wherein the soil become acidic
2. accelerated elimination of humus
3. death to some micro-organisms causing an imbalance

To solve these problems, the practice includes the application of more of the same chemicals, as well as other (calcium, zinc, sulphur, etc.). This is only a temporary fix, however, and creates other problems while accelerating the soil degradation. For example, the practice recommends the use of calcium for regulation of low PH (high acidity). Calcium can regulate the soil PH for 3 or 4 months, but after the calcium is no longer effective, the soil PH becomes lower than before. The next time, the farmers need to apply even more calcium. This much calcium in the soil obstructs magnesium and other mineral supply to the plants which is called micro-nutrient deficiency. It is only well decomposed organic matter (humus) which can regulate the soil PH permanently.

3.1.2 Increasing Pest Problem

Degraded soil is unhealthy soil. Unhealthy soil grows unhealthy plants that are easily attacked by pest (insects and diseases). Then, farmers use chemical pesticides which are poison and harmful for all living things to kill the pests. There is no consideration of the root causes of pest attack in this and consequently pest problems are not solved and become worse. The causes of the worsening pest problems are described in Vicious Cycle of Chemical Pest Control. (Section 7.2)

3.1.3 Degradation of Food Quality

The products grown with chemical fertilizers are low in food quality. This low food quality becomes apparent in taste and preserving capacity of the products. People say that rice and vegetables grown by the chemicals are tasteless and they cannot preserve the products for a long time as they decay sooner. The promoters of chemical agriculture may complain that people have false ideas and this is not scientific. But the perception of people is correct. The low quality is not only in taste and preserving capacity but also in the nutrient content of the products.

Recently, many studies of food nutrients have been carried out on the difference between chemically and organically grown products in Japan. The results show that chemically grown products have less nutrient content (protein, vitamins, minerals) and higher water content compared with organically grown products. The high water content may be one of the main reasons for lack of taste and low preserving capacity of chemically grown products.

3.1.4 Pollution of the Soil, Water, Air and Products

Use of chemical pesticides results in pollution of the evvironment as they are chemical poisons. They are very effective in killing living things and have a long term residual effect (some poisons last more than 10 years, e.g. DDT). Actually they are very dangerous for all living things. The poison pollutes the products first, and the soil, air, and water consequently. This pollution results in poisoned products, soil degradation, and the disappearance of fish, birds and other animals in rural area.

3.1.5 Health Hazards

People experience health hazards in two ways. One is that people eat the poisoned agricultural products and other contaminated food (meat, milk, fish, etc.) from chemical agricultural production. The poison accumulates in the living body and through the food chain, the poison is condensed and becomes a health hazard. It is misinformation that chemical pesticides are not very harmful for the human body because it is used in thinner form. If a person continuously eats the poisoned foods, that person will experience poison accumulation in his/her body.

The other hazard is that the chemical pesticide directly affects the farmers who use it. In Bangladesh, most farmers handle pesticides without protection for their bodies ()sometimes farmers spread it with bare hands and wearing no shirts) and they are usually the most serious victims. The chemicals also produce a health hazard to other living things, especially livestock. Nowadays, a common accident in the rural area is death of a cow or goat which has fed on crop residues sprayed with chemical pesticide.

3.1.6 disappearance of Local Varieties

Local varieties are the genetic base for improving seeds and are a very important resource for the future. But more local varieties are disappearing each year. The main reason is the introduction of HYV seeds and hybrid (F1) seeds. Farmers are giving up the use of local varieties and growing a few kinds of HYV and hybrid seed. That accelerates mono-cultural practice and creates an ecological imbalance in agriculture. (Section 8.1)

3.1.7 Other Problems

Aside from these, there are some other problems. One of the serious problems in Bangladesh is reduction in ground water. Deep tubewells are now commonly used for irrigation of HYV rice paddy in winter (dry) season. However, this causes a decrease in ground water level. Many hand tubewells do not work in areas where many deep tubewells are working. If the intensive use of ground water is continued for a long time it will use up all the ground water which will not be restored for years. As there is a high iron content in ground water in Bangladesh, iron accumulation in the soil is another problem. This will create more problems (imbalanced nutrients, etc.) in the future.

The Vicious cycle of chemical Agriculture