Environmental Assessment of Soil Fertilizer Utilization on Agricultural Activity Characteristics in the Al-Wasit Region

Abstract

This research pertains to studying the impact of environmental assessment of soil fertilizers on agricultural production characteristics and their effect on increasing or decreasing production. The research relies on descriptive and analytical methods, utilizing a questionnaire designed for this purpose to collect the required data and transform it into digital tables and graphical forms. The study reveals that farms in the study area are either publicly owned or privately owned. Results indicate that farms in the public sector utilize fertilizers more than those in the private sector, and production decreases more in public sector farms. The study also highlights the absence of a clear fertilizer policy and laws regulating and specifying fertilizer use and application methods in the soil, leading to high levels of added fertilizers in the region. Most of these fertilizers transform into deposited and accumulated materials in the soil, resulting in increased acidity levels. With repeated application, this process leads to relatively high levels, significantly affecting the physical and chemical properties of the soil.