Current agricultural practices depend heavily on chemical inputs (such as fertilizers,
pesticides, herbicides, etc.) which, all things being equal cause a deleterious
effect on the nutritional value of farm product and health of farm workers and
consumers. Excessive and indiscriminate use of these chemicals have resulted in food
contamination, weed and disease resistance and negative environmental outcomes
which together have a significant impact on human health. Application of these
chemical inputs promotes the accumulation of toxic compounds in soils. Chemical
compounds are absorbed by most crops from soil. Several synthetic fertilizers contain
acid radicals, such as hydrochloride and sulfuric radicals, and hence increase the soil
acidity and adversely affect soil and plant health. Highly recalcitrant compounds can
also be absorbed by some plants. Continuous consumption of such crops can lead
to systematic disorders in humans. Quite a number of pesticides and herbicides have
carcinogenicity potential. The increasing awareness of health challenges as a result of
consumption of poor quality crops has led to a quest for new and improved technologies
of improving both the quantity and quality of crop without jeopardizing human health.
A reliable alternative to the use of chemical inputs is microbial inoculants that can act
as biofertilizers, bioherbicide, biopesticides, and biocontrol agents. Microorganisms are
able to carry out the plant growth promotion, pest and disease and weed control.
Microbial inoculants are beneficiary microorganisms applied to either the soil or the plant
in order to improve productivity and crop health. Microbial inoculants are natural-based
products being widely used to control pests and improve the quality of the soil and crop,
and hence human health. Microbial inoculants involve a blend of microorganisms that
work with the soil and the soil life to improve soil fertility and health and by extension
improve human health. Microbial inoculants have the ability to minimize the negative
impact of chemical input and consequently increase the quantity and quality of farm
produce. Microbial inoculants are environmental-friendly and deliver plant nutrients to
plants in a more sustainable manner. Microbial inoculants can help reduce chemical
fertilizer application. Microbial inoculants could include bacteria, fungi and algae. This
research summarizes the impact of agricultural chemical inputs on human health. The
contribution of microbial inoculants in sustainable maintenance of human health will be
expatiated. Advances in microbial inoculants and technology and strategies to explore
this natural, user friendly biological resource for sustainable maintenance of plant health
will be discussed
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