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. Andy Higgins for NPR hide caption Andy Higgins for NPR On 12 acres outside of Lusaka, Kanangwa Newlove has built a paradise. Shady fruit trees dot her fields. During the growing season, long tomato vines drape over trellises. There are tidy rows of corn, pumpkins and a local leafy green called blackjack. Eleven varieties of lettuce. "I started taking vegetables to my workmates, and before I knew it I was supplying the supermarket," Newlove says. "It went on and on." For many farmers, 2026 has been a challenging year. The Iran war choked off the Strait of Hormuz and dramatically halted international trade shipments — including fertilizers. Prices spiked globally. The effects were quickly felt in African countries, where smallholder farmers are often vulnerable to rapid changes in fertilizer costs.'' Newlove, however, didn't feel the pinch. For years, she's fertilized her plants with a homemade, fermented compost known as bokashi. Kanangwa Newlove (right), the founder of Loctaguna Organics, and her team harvest organic vegetables. She also makes fertili...