Africa increases crop yields through termites and ants

In the context of the world still has about 1 billion poor people, finding a way to improve crop productivity is always urgent, especially for sub-Saharan Africa, which is facing with serious land degradation.

To cope with this situation, scientists at the University of Sydney (Australia) encourage farmers to use ants and termites because they discover that these two animals can improve their fertility. arid land. Only by the way ants and termites often do - digging, they will inadvertently create small trenches in the ground, making it easier for plants to access water.

In addition, the study also points out the potential for nutrient supplements for plants to grow because they play an important role in increasing the amount of nitrogen in the soil.

In fact, in areas where termites and ants are used, wheat production has increased by about 36%. The use of termites to improve crop productivity is being widely applied in Africa - the habitat of more than 660 species of different termites.

Zambia farmers have successfully used termites to lift
high yield of corn crops (Photo: Mackson Wasamunu / Reuters)

In many areas of West Africa, local people have set up wooden sticks on the ground to attract termites. In Burkina Faso alone, fertilizer is poured into niches next to the sowing place in the hope of attracting the termites.

In other lands on the 'black continent' , farmers are also trying to adopt similar methods to turn termites into a natural fertilizer, for example Malawian farmers often plant bananas near the termite nest; people of Uganda, Niger and Zimbabwe cultivate vegetables on the termites together; As for farmers in southern Zambia, they take soil from the termites to cultivate crops .