I used to raise broiler chickens at the backyard of my dad’s house. I was always happy to know that I didn’t have to wait a whole year to eat chicken because there are foods for broilers that would fatten them in no time and is non-toxic to the consumers.
One day, my dad said, “he doesn’t like broiler chicken because the taste is always bland”, so I said okay. One day, when my dad wasn’t around, I prepared a very nicely spiced chicken, and presented it to him at dinner time. Then, he asked, this is so sweet. Where did you buy this from? And I replied that it was one of those at home. He was shocked.
There was a time too when I overheard some market women saying that they wouldn’t buy vegetables that had been planted with fertilizers. I didn’t say anything. Rather, I just smiled, though I was scared because at the time, I had vegetables on my little garden still at the backyard of my dad’s house. I was at home doing nothing, and I knew I couldn’t stay broke for long, so I planted the vegetable seeds I had using urea (a very popular protein fertilizer great for leafy vegetables).
I went back home after hearing the conversation in fear of how I would sell my vegetables if those ones wouldn’t buy because I wasn’t going to be hawking vegetables, right? I summoned courage and just decided to trust the process.
When my vegetables were mature, I put them in a big bowl and headed to the market. Guess what? The vegetables finished selling before I approached the market at all. I didn’t get to the market before I finished selling, because it was so leafy, healthy and attractive to customers. In fact, I got more people asking me when I would come again because they’ve not seen vegetables as leafy and healthy as that in a long time.
You see, the debate of natural versus artificial is subjective. There’s no way we can survive only naturally grown farm produce or any other thing for now because we have a growing population that is not even slowing down at any time. However, when it becomes toxic to consumers is where I draw the line.
I’ve practised organic farming, and inorganic farming, and by all means, I’ll recommend the one the farmer has access to as long as the maturity period is reached before selling to the market to prevent consuming a toxic level of the inorganic fertilizer used.
I’ve planted cucumber using quail and cattle dungs (organic/natural fertilizers), and I did get a result. The plants grew healthy and strong. I have tried the same with inorganic fertilizers, and it worked perfectly too.
This means that in some situations, artificial can definitely replace natural and can work perfectly, however, it is very important to note that the level of artificial used as a replacement for the natural option.
As long as the proper level required are observed, then, it shouldn’t be a problem using the available, and the most favourable option in the situation.
Artificial o, natural o, both of them can work together or even replace each other, and still produce a perfect result.
Images are from MetaAI.