Our agricultural soils are currently suffering from a degradation or loss of balance of their properties, which limits their productivity and reduces the quality of the product. As with any problem, a solution is required, and the one considered to be the most effective at the moment is the use of rock flour.
Soil degradation is expressed in physical (erosion), chemical (nutrient deficiency, acidity, salinity) and biological aspects:
- Erosion corresponds to the process of wearing away of the earth’s surface, either caused by the action of natural forces or by man, known as accelerated erosion. Incorrect practices contribute to the transformation of soil, which is a non-renewable and highly vulnerable resource.
- Chemical degradation can be defined as the loss of nutrients (or excessive accumulation of a nutrient) and increased salinity or acidity.
- Biological degradation is represented by the reduction of organic matter.
Sustainability does not necessarily imply continued stability of productivity levels, but rather the ability of the land to quickly recover previous levels of production or to resume a trend of increasing productivity after an adverse period due to natural forces or human mismanagement, among other factors.
Rock flour has proven its effectiveness as a solution to the problem of soil degradation, allowing soil remineralisation, retaining soil moisture, improving soil structure and stabilising soil pH, limiting erosion and increasing organic matter.
In addition, rock flour does not pollute the soil, air or water of crops and helps to increase production (up to 25% in fruit and vegetables). This alone makes it an important option to consider.
In short, rock flour helps to restore nature’s conditions. Chemical fertilisers and chemical fertilisers, on the other hand, are only an artificial and temporary aid that ends up affecting the entire ecosystem.