DIY fertilizer is a blessing as farmers face steep prices due to the Iran war

Oct 7, 2026 · Durrie Bouscaren

Originally published by NPR News Read the original

DIY fertilizer is a blessing as farmers face steep prices due to the Iran war

At a market in Zambia, organic vegetables share table space with bags of homemade bokashi fertilizer that sell for about $2.50 each.

It's hard enough being a small-scale farmer. Then the Iran war drove up fertilizer prices. So farmers are using a traditional Asian recipe to make their own. They call it a "labor of love."

(Image credit: Andy Higgins for NPR)