EFFECT OF EXCESS APPLICATION OF INORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN SCHOOL FARMS: AN IMPLICATION TO THE GENERAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

Fertilizer is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soils or to plant tissues to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plant. This study seeks to examine the effect of excess application of inorganic fertilizers in the University of Benin school farm. To achieve the purpose of the study, five research questions were raised and answered. The research design adopted for this study is the descriptive survey resarch design. The sample size for the study was made up of 120 student which were randomly selected from each department in the faculties selcted. Using the simple random sampling technique, 30 students each were selected from the 4 Departments each in the various Faculties, (Agriculture and Education), thus making a total sample size of 120 respondents. The findings from the study include the excess application of inorganic fertilizers in the University of Benin School farms has significant implications for the environment and the health of the students. Inorganic fertilizers, rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, are used to boost crop yields. However, their overuse can lead to several adverse effects: from the study it was recorded that over-application of inorganic fertilizers can result in soil acidification, loss of soil organic matter, and disruption of soil microbiota. It is therefore recommended that regular soil testing should be conducted to determine the specific nutrient needs of the soil, thereby avoiding over-application.