Problems

Water shortage in Egypt


Agricultural wastes


Excessive use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture


Lack of productivity of agricultural soil


What: Egypt is suffering from severe water scarcity. Only 20 cubic meters of water per person of internal renewable freshwater resources remain.
In addition, Egypt receives less than 80 mm of rainfall a year
By the year 2020, Egypt will be consuming 20 percent more water than it has. With its loosening grip on the Nile, water scarcity could endanger the country’s stability and regional dominance. With climate conditions expected to get drier and heat waves expected to become more frequent in the MENA region.
Why: We are interested in solving the problem because we are an agricultural innovation company and part of the agricultural community in our country, and we aware that there is a strong relationship between agriculture and the problem of water shortage because 85% of Egypt’s water resources are used for agricultural activities and this is a huge percentage.
How: So we had to find solutions of the water problem through produce compost which can reduce the water which needed for soil by 30% because it contains a high percentage of organic matter which can reach more than 45% and that helps the soil to be more cohesive and reduces the leaching of irrigate water from the soil.
Healthy soil is an important factor in protecting our waters. Compost increases soil’s ability to retain water and decreases runoff.
Runoff pollutes water by carrying soil, fertilizers and pesticides to nearby streams.
What: The volume of the agricultural wastes is estimated by about 35 million tons per year, of which, about 23 million tons of vegetarian wastes (utilized by about 7 million tons feed, 4 million tons of organic fertilizer and about 12 million tons are left without avail). In addition to animal wastes which reach to about 12 million tons per year (utilized by about 3 million tons as organic fertilizer and about 9 million tons, per year, are left without avail). This refers to that about 21 million tons of agricultural wastes (plant and animal), per year, are left without avail and lead to the contamination of the agricultural environment. So It becomes necessary to activate the attention to recycle the agricultural wastes of crops that constitute a large proportion of wastes.
Also, it becomes necessary to activate the most suitable means to convert these wastes into materials with economic value that contribute to increase the productivity of agricultural crops, save energy, improve the environment.
why: The problem of agriculture wastes becomes very obvious and aggregated after the harvest of crops. That is because, at this time of the season, the farmer is in a rush to re-cultivate his land, therefore, getting rid of the wastes has his highest priorities, usually by burning. This method, burning not only is considered an economic loss but also has harmful effects on the environment. These harmful effects are the emission of poisons gases to the air and reducing the microbial activities in the soil and harmful on the health of the humans.
In addition, storing these wastes in the field after compacting may make it a suitable environment for the reproduction and growth of pests and pathogens that will attack new crops. Therefore, utilization of agriculture wastes in any other environmentally friendly way is very important.
How: The only solution to this waste is recycling and utilize it in raising the proportion of organic matter in the soil and increase the biological activity of the soil, and that through the production of compost that resulting of the agricultural waste fermentation, Because we are at Baramoda recognize the importance of preserving the environment so we have recycled more than 9188 ton of agricultural waste and produce more than 5550 ton of compost from wastes.
Compost takes a huge amount of material, up to 75%, out of the solid waste stream.
What: Chemical fertilizers are artificial components so the Excessive use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, resulting of that a large number of environmental problems because some fertilizers contain heavy metals such as cadmium and chromium and high concentrations of radionuclides. Later these fertilizers agro-ecosystem constitutes the main source of heavy metals and radionuclides in plants and some results in the accumulation of inorganic pollutants. So dangerously polluted well water, especially water resources, and excessive use of chemical fertilizers reduce the crop production quantity and quality of the product.
why: The use of chemical fertilizers is the worst choice in agriculture because the use of chemical fertilizers are responsible for the pollution of the entire ecosystem included (Water, soil, air, animals, plants and microorganisms).

The main environmental problem associated with fertilizer :
  1. The nitrogen from fertilizers are eventually converted by bacteria in the soil to nitrates. These nitrates can be leached into the groundwater or be washed out of the soil surface into streams and rivers. High nitrate levels in drinking water are considered to be dangerous to human health.
  2. Chemical fertilizers are provided to the plant too quickly. What the plant does not use is absorbed by the soil causing secondary effects to the soil then to the plant. For instance fertilizer burn due to dehydratation.
  3. Chemical fertilizers do not contain any trace minerals/micro nutrients. After a few years the soil has been depleted from those elements. Overtime those elements are not contained in the fruits or in the vegetables anymore diminishing their quality.
  4. Chemical fertilizers are used together with chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Use of chemicals have a negative impact on the soil, the water as well as the crop as the vegetables, for instance, still contain chemical traces which are then absorbed upon eating.
  5. Chemical fertilizers kill microorganisms which in turn will make the soil useless where nothing can grow.
How: We are in our company responsible for produce a natural organic product (Compost) to be a substitute for chemical fertilizers to reduce their risks on the environment, So our product doesn't have any risks on the health of humans or the environment because it manufactured from natural resources which have a high benefit on soil.
Our compost encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, rich nutrient-filled material and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
Compost contains macro and micronutrients often absent in synthetic fertilizers so compost build the soil on a long time but chemical fertilizers improve the soil on a short time.
Baramoda’s Compost solve all the problem facing the agriculture lands in Egypt, It buffers the soil, neutralizing both acid & alkaline soils, bringing pH levels to the optimum range for nutrient availability to plants.
Compost helps bind clusters of soil particles, called aggregates, which provide good soil structure. Such soil is full of tiny air channels pores that hold air, moisture, and nutrients.it helps also sandy soil retain water and nutrients.
Compost can hold nutrients tight enough to prevent them from washing out, but loosely enough so plants can take them up as needed, So it does not pollute groundwater like chemicals.
Compost brings and feeds diverse life in the soil. These bacteria, fungi, insects, worms and more support healthy plant growth.
When we produce our Compost, we reduce methane production - a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than CO2.
Our compost is free of any pathogens or Weed seeds, so it is safe to use in soil, unlike chemical fertilizers.
Adding fertilizer is one important way to keep agricultural production systems sustainable, so it is important to apply fertilizer, whether from natural sources, such as Compost.
What: Soil is an important component of the biosphere and is an absolutely essential component for agriculture production.
Soil is essential for sustaining life on Earth. 95% of our food is from soil. Therefore, soil should be maintained in the face of pressures from increasing population to provide food, eliminate desertification and degradation of land.
Why: Egypt is 97% desert and only 5% of the land area is actually occupied with less than 4% of the land is suitable for agriculture.
And one of the main reasons for the lack of efficient agricultural land is the excessive use of chemical fertilizers so we have to find an organic alternatives to save our soil.
How: Our compost helps the soil to build a healthy structure of it and that through helping the soil hold nutrients in the root zone - prevents leaching. Increases the capacity of the soil for retaining soluble forms of plant nutrients.
Egypt is the NENA region’s most populous country with over 92 million people and a projected 120 million by 2050 so we need to protect our soil to help it produce more food for us and this will be achieved by raising their productivity by using natural alternatives like (compost) to chemical fertilizers.