Hello, welcome to this blog on Causes of agricultural pollution:
Table Of Contents
- State the meaning of agricultural pollution.
- Identify pollutants or causes of agricultural land/pond pollution
- Discuss the effect of pollution on Farmers and farming activities.
- Explain how pollution of land/pond can be minimized.
- Revision Questions.
Meaning of Agricultural Pollution
Agricultural pollution is defined as the release of toxic or harmful substances into the environment by natural forces or man and other animals to an extent that causes biological damage to man and his resources. In other words, agricultural pollution is the release of harmful substances into the environment, for example water, air and land in quantities or to the level that are harmful to man, animals and plants. The harmful substances that causes pollution in the environment are called POLLUTANTS.
Sources or Causes Of Agricultural Pollution
The main sources or causes of pollution of agricultural land or ponds can be classified as.
Here are the types of Agricultural Pollution
- Air pollution
- Noise pollution
- Land pollution
- Water pollution
AIR POLLUTION
The major Air pollutants, thier sources, harmful effect and their controls are stated below.
POLLUTANTS:
(a). Ammonia gas
SOURCES: Decomposition from animals droppings from Poultry, pigs, goat, sheep and cattle. Farm animals droppings or dungs normally generate large volumes of bad odour into the environment.
Effects: It causes impaired health such as irritation of eyes, lungs, cough and other respiratory tract diseases to man and animals.
Control of ammonia gas
- Effort should be made to evacuate animal dungs from Farm environment to far places
- Odour Killants, (that is, chemicals) can be introduced into farm animal feeds to drastically reduce odour of dungs from farm animals
- Livestock animal farms should be located far from residential areas.
(b) Dust particles
Sources: Dust particles are normally generated from feed mills.
Effects: Dust particles can cause damage to lungs and causes discomfort and also, it irritates respiratory system and cause respiratory disease such as catarrh and cough to feed mill workers.
Control of dust particles
- Feed mill workers have to protect themselves by wearing protective covering over their nose when milling feeds.
NOISE POLLUTION
Noise Pollution is one of the types of agricultural pollution. The major noise pollution, their sources, harmful effects and their controls are discussed below.
a) Pollutants : Noise
Sources: The main sources of noise pollution in Farm environment are mainly from: Feedmill; noise is generated when feedmill is milling feed for farm animals and noise pollution from Poultry birds.
Effects of Noise Pollution
- It causes loss of hearing or deafness especially from feed mill.
- It can also cause emotional disorder, anxiety or lack of concentration.
- Noise can also cause high blood pressure or hypertension.
- It can course changes in behaviours.
Control of Noise Pollution
- Poultry farms should be located far from residential quarters.
- There should be installation of soundproof in feedmill buildings.
LAND POLLUTION: The major land pollutants, their sources, harmful effects and their control are listed below.
(a) Refuse:
Sources: Farm office and farm sites
Effects: It causes offensive odour when refuse decay and it can cause respiratory disorder.
(d) Sewage:
Sources: Farm offices and farm sites
Effects: It results in offensive odour and it can serves as breeding causing organisms.
(c) Pesticides and Fertilizers
Sources: Pesticides sprayed on crops and fertilizers used in soil.
Effects: They destroy useful soil organisms, excessive fertilizers can cause soil acidity and it can cause the death of some crops.
Control of Land pollution
- Refuse should be burnt in incinerators.
- sewage should be properly treated before disposal.
- legislation should be made by government against dumping of harmful or toxic wastes.
- pesticide and fertilizers should be applied as instructed.
WATER POLLUTION: This is one of the types of Agricultural Pollution. The major water pollutants, their sources, harmful effects and their control have discussed here below.
(a) Pesticides and Fertilizers
Sources: Washed by erosion from farms to rivers, streams or ponds.
Effects: (i) It makes water unfit for human consumption. (ii) it leads to rapid vegetative growth of water plants which makes fishing and movement impossible. (iii) it can destroy aquatic organisms, example; fish.
(b) Feaces from Farm Animals
Sources: Farm Animals
Effects: It produces unpleasant odour and it serves as a medium for the breeding of pathogens.
(c) Crude oil (oil spillage)
Sources: Oil drilling loading and uploading of oil tankers
Effects: (i) It destroys aquatic plants and animals. (ii) it makes water unfit for human and animal consumption. (iii) food chain is affected. (iv) it leads to migration of animals.
Control of water pollution
- Pesticides and fertilizer should be properly used as instructed
- There should be efficient and proper disposal of animal dungs and waste.
- Government or local authorities should strictly monitor old farm waste.
- There should be efficient techniques to deal with or prevent oil spillage.
Revision Questions
- What is agricultural pollution?
- (a) Name two pollutants each of air and water. (b) state two effects of water pollution on farm animals.
- (a) Mention three ways of preventing water pollution in Farms (b) name two sources of noise pollution (c) Name two effect of noise pollution on man.
- (a) Define agricultural pollution (b) state four sources of land pollution (c) explain the effects of land pollution on Farming activities.
- (a) what is water pollution (b) state two pollutants of water (c) describe the effect of each of the pollutants named on aquatic organisms.